More than a fortnight after it conducted a five-day search, the I-T department reopened sealed rooms at an educational institution linked to the Tamil Nadu Minister for Highways and Minor Ports, E.V. Velu, in Kilnachipattu village near Tiruvannamalai town on the Vellore-Thoothukudi Highway on Wednesday.
Sources said that around 11 a.m., a team of six I-T officials in three vehicles reached the campus of Arunai group of educational institutions in the village. More than two dozen personnel from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Armed Reserve (AR) of the district police were deployed inside the campus.
Wednesday’s reopening of the sealed rooms by I-T officials is restricted to the Minister’s camp office and Arunai group of educational institutions which is linked to Mr. Velu. Along with his residence, the Arunai group of educational institutions houses medical, engineering and pharmacy colleges and schools on its campus. Sources said three rooms on the campus had been sealed by the I-T officials during their previous five-day search that started on November 3.
On hearing about the I-T department officials’ visit to the educational institutions linked to him on the outskirts of Tiruvannamalai town, Mr. Velu rushed to the campus. Earlier in the day, the Minister participated in welfare works including inauguration of a special sales stall by women’s self-help groups at Poomalai complex in the town for Karthigai Deepam. He also laid the foundation stone for three high-level bridges across Cheyyar river in Kalasapakkam town.
Earlier this month, I-T department officials conducted searches at more than 80 places in Chennai, Coimbatore and Tiruvannamalai that are linked to Mr. Velu. The searches came days after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin attended the DMK’s workshop for Booth Committee Agents (BLA) from eight northern districts in Malappambadi village near Tiruvannamalai town.
