Chennai, Nov 3 (UNI) Officials of the Income Tax department on Friday morning conducted raids at the premises of Tamil Nadu PWD Minister and ruling DMK strongman E.V.Velu on complaints of alleged tax evasion.
IT sources said the simultaneous raids were on in multiple locations belonging to the residence and office premises of the Minister, including in Chennai.
The raids are continuing, the sources said. Initial reports said the raids were on in more than 10 locations in Chennai and in his native Tiruvannamalai district, including at educational institutions run by him.
The raids at the Minister’s premises were being carried out with the deployment of CRPF personnel as a large number of DMK cadres and his supporters gathered in front of his residence and shouted slogans denouncing the IT action.
Officials said the searches were on in 16 places linked to the Minister. Reports also said the raids were also on in the premises of contractors who were awarded PWD contracts.
In a related development, searches were also being conducted in leading real estate firms across the State for alleged tax evasion. The raids are being held at the premises of CasaGrand, Appasamy Real Estate and
other residential developers including TVH homes across the State.
Reports said, in all the raids were being held at nearly 80 locations in various districts of the State, including Coimbatore, Karur, Villuppuram, Chennai, Tiruvannamalai and other places.
