As the political landscape heats up with impending elections, enforcement agencies have intensified their scrutiny of individuals with political ties. In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated raids at locations linked to former AIADMK minister Vijayabaskar in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukkottai district, as well as the prominent real estate firm G-Square in Chennai.
The ED raids come in the wake of documents uncovered during Income Tax Department searches conducted in April last year, signaling a continuation of investigations into alleged financial irregularities. Vijayabaskar, a former AIADMK stalwart, finds himself under the ED’s lens, becoming the first high-ranking leader of the party to face scrutiny from a central investigative agency following its split from the BJP-led NDA.
Simultaneously, ED sleuths are conducting searches at various locations across Chennai, including Mylapore, Alwarpet, East Coast Road, Adyar, Neelangarai, and Anna Nagar. Additionally, Income Tax officials are conducting raids at more than 10 places, including an IT company in Taramani and the office of Vels University in Nandanam, Chennai.
The focus of the raids extends to G-Square, a reputed real estate company, situated on Chambers Road, Alwarpet, Chennai. The company, reportedly operating at a loss from 2017 to 2020, has purportedly amassed significant assets in the two years following the DMK’s ascension to power. Six months ago, the Income Tax Department initiated raids on G-Square, seizing crucial documents as part of their investigation.