On April 2, just a few days ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021, Income Tax department (I-T) officers conducted a raid in the house and office of DMK President and Chief Ministerial candidate MK Stalin’s daughter and his son-in-law, Senthamarai and Sabareesan. Against the backdrop to this, some images are circulating on social media with the claim that it is of the IT raid that happened at Senthamarai and Sabareesan’s house. These images are being shared with the caption, “DMK STALINS DAUGHTERS HOUSE RAID 700CRS IN CASH 260KILO GOLD AND 3000 CRS UNACCOUNTED DOCUMENTS.”
Searches started around 8 am at four places in Chennai owned by Sabareesan and his associates. The DMK has complained to the Election Commission, calling it “abuse of power” by the Income Tax department
Tax officials were “working for the poll prospects of the AIADMK-BJP under the garb of discharge of their duties,” the Tamil Nadu opposition party alleged, urging the election body to restrain the tax department.
Among the premises searched by taxmen was the home of Mr Stalin’s daughter Senthamarai and Sabareesan in Neelangarai, just outside Chennai. Tax department sources told NDTV there were inputs on the movement of cash related to the election campaign. Tamil Nadu votes for a new Assembly on Tuesday and the party – which heads an opposition alliance that includes the Congress – called the raids “politically motivated” and an example of the misuse of agencies by the BJP government at the centre and the AIADMK government in the state.
A furious MK Stalin said the people would “give a clear verdict on April 6 for this miscalculation”.
I am MK Stalin. This Stalin has faced Emergency and MISA. I won’t be “scared because of these IT raids. PM Modi should know that we aren’t AIADMK leaders who prostrate themselves before him,” he said at an election rally yesterday. On Friday morning a group of 25 Income Tax officials showed up in Chennai’s Neelangarai – the home of Sabareesan, Mr Stalin’s son-in-law and his key strategist and adviser.
Locations linked to Sabareesan’s associates – Karthik (the son of the DMK candidate from Chennai’s Anna Nagar) and Bala – were also searched.
The raids came a day after Mr Stalin’s son questioned what he called the “exponential rise in wealth” of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah.
“Instead of my sister, why don’t you guys come and raid my home. I dare you guys. I am Kalaignar’s grandson. We won’t be scared by these raids,” Udhayanidhi Stalin, who has since also been slammed for crass comments about late senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, said.
According to the reports by NDTV and The Federal, Rs 1.36 Lakhs were found in a day-long raid of the Chennai residence of DMK chief MK Stalin’s daughter and son-in-law. Hence, the amount of cash retrieved as mentioned in social media posts is too hyped.
