IT continues to search properties of VK Sasikala, kin

The Income Tax department on Thursday continued searches for the second day at 11 places in Chennai, Coimbatore and Tiruchi belonging to sidelined AIADMK leader VK Sasikala and her family. The search team scrutinised lockers that were under prohibitory orders. 

This was the second round of raids. During November 9-13, the authorities searched 187 places belonging to her and her kin, following complaints of tax evasion and investment in shell companies.

On Thursday, IT officials also raided the bank locker of Sasikala’s kin here. Of the 11 places searched in Chennai, Trichy and Coimbatore, six locations are in the city, and these include Adyar and Tambaram.

A highly-placed source in the I-T department said, “We are conducting the raids to find the truth behind the source of funds.” 

The raids came four days after Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran won the RK Nagar bypoll, causing embarrassment to the ruling AIADMK, besides reducing the opposition DMK to the third place and causing its candidate to lose deposit.

On Wednesday, the searches were conducted at Midas Distilleries and Sai Group of Companies in Padappai, the Adyar residence of Karthikeyan, the son-in-law of Sasikala’s sister-in-law Ilavarasi, and a college in Coimbatore. 
Karthikeyan is also one of the directors of Midas Distilleries owned by Sasikala.

The searches revealed the alleged initial concealment of Rs 1,430 crore-worth of taxes as well as vital clues on Shell companies linked to Sasikala, her close relatives and aides from her chambers in Poes Garden.