Income Tax searches at TN Minister’s premises cause clashes with DMK workers

Chennai: The searches conducted by Income Tax officials in various premises linked to V Senthil Balaji, the state's Electricity Minister across Tamil Nadu, caused a commotion among the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party workers, who reportedly resorted to acts of vandalism, damaging a car during the clash.

According to PTI sources, the searches were being carried out in cities such as Karur and Coimbatore at premises associated with individuals connected to Minister Senthil Balaji. The situation turned tense when I-T officials arrived at the residence of Balaji's brother, Ashok, in Karur.

The Income Tax department had targeted the premises of close relatives of Minister Senthil Balaji, as well as some contractors. The minister, known as a senior leader of the DMK party from Karur, currently holds the Prohibition and Excise portfolio in the Tamil Nadu cabinet.

These raids in Tamil Nadu follow a series of similar actions taken by the I-T department over the past month. In a previous incident, the department conducted searches at 50 locations related to G Square Realtors Private Limited, a real estate firm operating in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Additionally, last month, K Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP president, released files containing details of properties owned by members of the DMK, which leads the state's governing alliance. G Square Realtors Private Limited issued a statement denying all allegations and asserting that the claims made against the company were false and baseless.

The clash between DMK workers and Income Tax officials highlights the tension surrounding the raids and the alleged links between the searches and Minister Senthil Balaji. The situation is expected to be closely monitored as further details unfold regarding the ongoing investigations and any potential ramifications in Tamil Nadu's political landscape.