Chennai:
Vigilance officials have raided 11 properties of former DMK Minister MRK Panneerselvam and his relatives in Tamil Nadu following allegations of assets disproportionate to known sources of income.
Panneerselvam handled the backward communities and health portfolios during the previous DMK regime and is the party's strongman in Cuddalore district.
He unsuccessfully contested the April 13 state Assembly polls against Sorathur Rajendran of AIADMK in Kurinchipadi constituency in Cuddalore district.
The vigilance department had, on September 31, arrested former higher education minister K Ponmudi in Chennai in connection with a land grabbing case.
Former ministers Veerapandi S Arumugam, K N Nehru and N K K P Raja were also arrested on charges of land grabbing in the crackdown launched by the Jayalalithaa government on land grabbing.
The DMK has accused Jayalalithaa government of consistently targeting its former ministers and officials close to Karunanidhi with these raids. Several of senior DMK leaders are in jail in connection with land grab charges.
The DMK also says that the Jayalalithaa government is violating Supreme Court directions while arresting its leaders and has sought the President's intervention.
(With PTI inputs)