CBI files DA case against IRS officer

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday registered a disproportionate assets (DA) case against Chennai's former commissioner of income tax and eight others including his family members. The accused officials, M Kumaraswamy, is from 1988 IRS batch and is presently posted as director (investigation), Settlement Commission, Chennai. The probe agency filed the case after the senior IRS officer was accused of amassing disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 6.1 crore.

Official sources told dna that Kumaraswamy, besides opening a Chennai-based agro firm, had also made investments in Kollywood film production houses.

"It was alleged that the public servant had acquired huge assets in the name of his immediate family members and benami holders at Chennai and various other places in Tamil Nadu, including at his native village near Palani in Tamil Nadu," said CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh.

According to sources in CBI, the premises of the agro firm, named Ayakude, and the production house has also been searched by agency sleuths.

"Searches have been conducted at 14 places, including residential and official premises in Chennai, Palani and other places in Tamil Nadu, which led to recovery of documents relating to property worth several crores of rupees, locker details, investments in shares, investments in a private firm and also investments in another company," the official added.