Tamil Nadu: I-T dept seizes Rs 1.48 cr 'bribe' cash linked to AMMK

The Income-Tax Department Wednesday seized Rs 1.48 crore cash stashed allegedly by supporters of TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK party to bribe voters in Tamil Nadu's Theni district, where an assembly bypoll is scheduled Thursday.

Unaccounted cash worth Rs 1.48 crore was seized. It was neatly packed in 94 packets and envelops on which the ward number, number of voters and the amount of Rs 300 per voter was written, I-T Director General (investigations) B Murali Kumar said, after the overnight raids concluded at 5:30 AM.

"All these wards are within the Andipatti assembly segment which is going to bypoll tomorrow," the officer added.

Kumar added that the premises belongs to a functionary of the AMMK party.

Infact, the AMMK party office functions from the ground floor of the premises, he said.

The department will send a report on the operation to the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the policy-making body for the tax department, and the Election Commission in New Delhi, a senior official said.

The tax department had launched a search at a store Tuesday night following inputs about suspected cash being stashed at a location.

During the raids, police had to open fire in the air to disperse supporters of the AMMK ( Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam) who objected to the action.

The tax official said the "sworn statement of the person present on the premises was recorded and he said that Rs 2 crore in cash was brought in there for distribution to voters in Andipatti panchayat union area on April 16."