Income Tax officials carried out searches at 16 premises linked to Tamil Nadu Minister for Public Works Department, Highways and Minor Ports E.V. Velu, in Tiruvannamalai on Friday, November 3, 2023. Searches were also carried out at other locations.
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The searches began around 6.30 a.m. Most of the searches in the temple town were restricted to the house of Mr. Velu in Kilnachipattu village, and around 8 km from Tiruvannamalai town, where educational institutions including medical and medical engineering colleges linked to his family members are located.
The premises being searched by the I-T officials were guarded by personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). As information about the searches spread, a large number of DMK cadres and the supporters of Mr. Velu assembled before his house. Expressing anguish over the I-T Department’s actions, they raised slogans against the Union government.
Searches in Karur
Income Tax officials also conducted searches in Karur, at premises linked to the Minister and persons associated with him.
According to sources, the searches were being carried out at least four places in Karur. The Minister’s personal assistant Suresh’s house in Gandhi Nagar, the house of Padma, sister of former DMK MLA Vasuki Murugesan, in Periyar Nagar and a finance firm were among the premises where searches were underway.
I-T officials, who assembled early in the morning in Karur, launched the searches simultaneously around 8 a.m. by splitting into smaller groups. CRPF personnel were posted in front of the houses and offices, where searches were ongoing.
