No Cash But "Incriminating" Evidence Found, Say Tax Officials On DMK Raid

The Income Tax department has said they have found "incriminating evidence" of tax evasion in searches they conducted on key people related to the DMK leadership on Friday in Chennai, Karur and Coimbatore four days before Tamil Nadu goes to vote.

A statement issued by the tax department however did not mention any cash seizure but said the searches were meant to verify if the three groups who were raided allegedly assisted in political cash distribution.

The groups and individuals raided include those who run distilleries, breweries, real estate and solar power operations as well DMK chief MK Stalin's son-in-law.

DMK MP RS Bharathi, however, claimed the Income Tax officials had only found Rs 1.36 lakh from the home of Mr Stalin's son-in-law.

A team of 25 Income Tax officials landed at the Neelangarai home in Chennai of the opposition party leader's son-in-law Sabareesan and only daughter Senthamarai on Friday morning hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi held campaign events in south Tamil Nadu.

Sabareesan, considered a key strategist and adviser of Mr Stalin, is believed to have considerable clout within the family. Two other associates, Karthick, son of Anna Nagar DMK candidate Mohan, and G-Square Bala, were raided.

There were separate tax raids on former minister Senthil Balaji and his brother, Tiruvannamalai MP Annadurai and Thanjavur North DMK Union Secretary Murasoli. Income Tax sources told NDTV that the searches were based on inputs on cash movement.