Former DMK minister's premises raided

Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption today conducted raids at the premises of jailed former DMK Minister K Ponmudi, his relatives and office of a firm owned by former Tamil Nadu Governor SS Barnala's son in connection with a disproportionate assets complaint.

Raids were conducted at 20 places in Chennai, Villupuram and Puducherry on "specific information" that Ponmudi had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income when he was Higher Education Minister in the previous DMK regime, a DVAC release here said.

A prima facie case of cognizable offence was made out and a case registered under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the release said, adding, raids were conducted at the residential and official premises of Ponmudi's wife, brothers and sons and other relatives in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Ponmudi was arrested in Chennai on August 31 in a land grabbing case.

The 18-member DVAC team also conducted searches at the house of Najimudeen, CEO of Barnas International Pvt Ltd owned by Barnala's son Jasjit Singh Barnala besides the video surveillance office of Barnas International in Chennai.