CHENNAI: Sleuths of the Income Tax department have been conducting raids at Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar’s residences at Greenways Road in Chennai and in Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu, the minister’s hometown, right from 5.00 am on Friday. Sources told www.Policenewsplus.com, around 34 locations in different parts of Tamil Nadu are being raided by the Income Tax officials. 23 places in Chennai and 11 other places in the state are being raided. Central Reserve Police Force have been providing security to income tax officials. Sources say that nearly ten officers from the Income Tax department are searching the minister’s house. Apart from the residences, two teams of IT officers are conducting searches at a granite quarry in Pudukottai belonging to the minister and a college run by him. Nearly 50 Income Tax officers landed at Rasi Blue Metals quarry at Thiruvenkaivasal near Pudukkottai, sources told policenewsplus. Simultaneously, another team also landed at Vijaya Basker’s house at Sourashtra Street in Iluppur. Hundreds of supporters of the minister waiting outside the minister’s house raised slogans against the central government for ordering the raid against the minister. They also raised slogans against rebel AIADMK O Panneerselvam who was expelled from the party. Several AIADMK partymen were arguing with Police officials to let them inside the residence of Vijayabhaskar at Greenways Road. The search by the IT department is said to be due to the illegal money being distributed to voters by the politicians for the oncoming R K Nagar Assembly By election due to be held on April 12. Source told Policenewsplus that the raid may continue till late evening.]]>
