Two days before Lok Sabha polls, the income tax sleuths along with election officials on Tuesday evening conducted raids at the residence of DMK candidate Kanimozhi in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin from where she is contesting.
I-T sources indicated that the searches were held following “some inputs,” but left empty-handed after they did not find anything suspicious.
Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha member, is contesting against the BJP’s state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan in the Thootukodi Lok Sabha constituency.
Following information about the searches, a large number of DMK workers gathered in front of Kanimozhi’s house expressing solidarity as the Income Tax Department conducted raids.
After the searches were over, Kanimozhi termed the raids as “anti-democratic, deliberately planned and tested” by the BJP government.
She further said that the BJP cannot prevent her success in the polls through the raids.
Reacting to the development, DMK President MK Stalin said that fearing a defeat at the polls, the raid is being conducted to target his party.
“The Election Commission is trying to show that it is part of the AIADMK-BJP alliance,” he said, terming it “murder of democracy”.
“Crores and crores of rupees are kept in Tamilisai Soundararajan’s (BJP TN Chief) residence, why no raids there? Modi is using I-T, CBI, Judiciary and now EC to interfere in elections. They are doing this as they fear losing,” he said.
Polling to all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu is slated for April 18 in the second stage of the Lok Sabha polls. However, on Tuesday, the President rescinded the election in Vellore parliamentary constituency on the recommendation of the Election Commission after a huge haul of cash was found there.
Last week, enforcement agencies had conducted raids at several places in Vellore area and seized huge cash and jewellery to the tune of Rs 12 crore from various places, including the premises belonging to the DMK leader Durai Murugan.
An FIR was also filed against Kathir Anand, son of Durai Murugan, after the cash seizure during the raids by income tax officials.
Meanwhile, the I-T officials on Wednesday said that they had seized Rs 1.48 crore cash allegedly stashed to bribe voters in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district, where an assembly bypoll is scheduled on Thursday. The premises reportedly belonged TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK party worker.