Raids continue in Karur for 2nd day
I-T officials conduct search operations at houses of Senthilbalaji’s associates with paramilitary protection
Vehicles of by I-T officials parked near a house at Gandhigram in Karur on Saturday
TIRUCHY: I-T officials continued their search operation in the houses and establishments belonging to Minister of Electricity V Senthilbalaji and his associates for the second consecutive day with the paramilitary and local police protection on Saturday.
The searches were halted on Friday following a scuffle between the DMK men and the I-T team members. Later in the night, the arrival of paramilitary forces, the officials went to the house of Deputy Mayor Dharani Saravanan at Rayanur in Karur and resumed their job. However, there was a notice restricting the entry of strangers inside the house. So, officials demanded to be allowed, but relatives of Dharani Saravanan argued with them.
Subsequently, the officials passed on the information to the police and a team, led by DSP Kannan, rushed to the spot and held talks with the people in the house after which the notice was removed, and officials were allowed to search the premises.
Meanwhile, after the raids at the house of Senthilbalaji’s brother Ashok Kumar on Friday late night, they proceeded to the house of one Prem Kumar, a close associate of the minister in Gandhigram and stone quarry owner Thangaraj’s house.
Cases filed against DMK men and I-T officials
Sources said, when the IT officials came to search the house of Ashok Kumar, the cadre prevented their entry. It is said that Kumar, a DMK cadre, who was reported assaulted by the officials, suffered injuries and fainted on the spot. Subsequently based on a complaint from Kumar, Karur town police registered a case against the woman official. Similarly, four IT officials, who were injured in the assault by the DMK cadre, were admitted to the Karur hospital. Acting on a complaint, a case was registered against 50 DMK men.
PIL seeking CBI probe not maintainable: HC
The Madras High Court returned the case, seeking CBI investigation into the attack on I-T officials during raids in Karur, as the petition was not maintainable. While case has criminal nature the petition was not considered as writ. Ramachandran from Kolathur, Chennai filed a PIL regarding the case, but the HC registry while numbering the petition found that Ramachandran’s petition considered not maintainable.