Sasikala's AIADMK faction gave Rs 89 cr to voters in R K Nagar: I-T dept

Amount distributed to voters could be as high as Rs 100 cr, say I-T officials

The Income Tax (I-T) search operation held at the premises of an associate of Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar has revealed the routing of Rs 89 crore for "distribution to voters" in R K Nagar Assembly constituency which goes to by-poll on April 12.

According to sources, documents seized during searches at the premises of an accountant of the minister showed details of Rs 89 crore and the money being channelled to R K Nagar through party functionaries.

The amount distributed for votes could be as high as Rs 100 crore

A whopping Rs 100 crore must have been distributed to voters indicated cash and documents seized by the Income Tax officials during raids at various places, including residence and business premises of Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, a senior I-T official said on Friday.

"We have seized cash totalling Rs 5.5 crore. We have also seized documents showing around Rs 89 crore changed hands for distribution to voters of R K Nagar," the I-T official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"A cash disbursal of Rs 100 crore to bribe voters will be a very conservative estimate," he added.

According to the I-T official, searches at over 50 places are still going on as recording of statements are underway.

"We have been sending inputs regularly to the Election Commission throughout the day. We are yet to send a final report to the Commission. Our report will be a status report and not recommend for any plan of action," he added.

150 I-T teams out in the field

A team of around 150 Income Tax officials began their search operations at the residences and business premises of Vijayabaskar, his relatives and associates.

"Rs 3.5 crore in cash was seized from Nainar Mohammed, one of the confidants of Vijayabaskar. Around Rs 1 crore was seized from a person managing the funds of Vijayabaskar," the official said.

According to him, some documents were seized from the residence of Vijayabaskar.

Raids were also conducted at the house of actor-turned-politician, Sammuthuva Makkal Katchi leader Sarathkumar, apart from searches at premises of some AIADMK functionaries and government officials.

Money distributed in R K Nagar tipped them off

Initially, the raids were launched at around 35 places. The operation was later extended to nearly 50 addresses, including some located outside Chennai in the state, the official added.

He said: "Trigger for raids at Vijayabaskar's residence is the money distributed to voters in the R K Nagar Assembly constituency where the bypoll is slated for April 12."

Vijayabaskar is a loyalist of AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala, now in jail after conviction for corruption.

Sasikala's relative T T V Dhinakaran is contesting the seat and complaints of large-scale bribing of voters was lodged with the Election Commission by the Opposition parties.

The officer said Minister Vijayabaskar was on the I-T radar for the past one year in connection with his quarry business.

Soon after the news about the raids broke, media persons assembled outside Vijayabaskar's residence.

AIADMK (Sasikala faction) leaders and cadres, too, gathered there and demanded entry into his residence.

Vijayabaskar says he's clean; opposition parties say govt should answer

Speaking to the media, Vijayabaskar said the I-T officials were not able to find even Rs 10,000 from his house and his children were not allowed to attend school.

The raid at Sarathkumar's residence comes a day after he announced his support to Dhinakaran.

PMK founder S Ramadoss in a statement demanded sacking of Vijayabaskar and other officials whose residences were searched by the I-T officials.

DMK working President and Leader of Opposition in assembly M K Stalin said I-T raids on AIADMK leaders was not something new.

He said I-T searches were also conducted at the residences of former ministers Natham Viswanathan, Saidai Duraisamy and others.

Stalin recalled the I-T raid on the residence of former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao.

According to Stalin, despite the raids by the I-T department on these people, there was no follow-up action and the central government should come clean on the issue.