Jaya TV, business groups run by Sasikala family being raided by Income Tax officials across India

The Income Tax department has launched a massive raid at over 187 locations connected to jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala and her family members in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to investigate allegations of tax evasion.
IT official also searching the premises of Jaya TV, Dr Namadhu MGR, Jazz Cinemas and Kodanad estate owned by Sasikala and her family members in Chennai.

Sources said IT sleuths on Thursday conduct raid over 187 places in Tamil Nadu,  Karnataka, Delhi related to 10 groups including Jaya TV, Surana, Jazz Cinemas, Midas Distilleries limited, office premises of  Arumugasamy businessman in Coimbatore and Windmill Subramani. The official said that the searchers are being conducted as part of the “operation clean money”.

Taxmen also conducting searches at the residence of Sasikala’s husband M Natarajan in Thanjavur. IT department conducted the raid on the houses and office premises of sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, nephew of Sasikala and Managing director of Jaya TV Vivek. Heavy security has been provided outside the residence of Dinakaran following the gathering of his supporters who were raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP.

Sources said IT sleuths conduct raid over 187 places in Tamil Nadu,  Karnataka, Delhi related to 10 groups including Jaya TV, Surana, Jazz Cinemas, Midas Distilleries limited, office premises of  Arumugasamy businessman in Coimbatore and Windmill Subramani. The officials said that the searchers are being conducted as part of the “operation clean money”.

Income Tax officials are also conducting a search at the residence of V.Dhivakaran, brother of V.K.Sasikala, at  Sundarakottai near Mannargudi. A team of officials begun the operation at the crack of dawn. Searches are also being conducted at the college run by Mr.Dhivakaran and also at the residence of S. Kamaraj who was appointed Tiruvarur district Secretary of AIADMK (Amma) by T.T.V. Dinakaran, replacing Food Minister R. Kamaraj, recently.

IT officials are searching the residence of AIADMK’s Karnataka unit secretary Pugalendhi who is a staunch supporter of Sasikala, in Bengaluru as well.

Jaya TV and Namadhu MGR were the mouthpiece of the ruling AIADMK but has become a strong critic of the state government following a rift between Sasikala and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami. Both the channel and the newspaper is owned by Sasikala.

The searches come at a time when the AIADMK’s poll symbol dispute case is pending with the Election Commission between the ruling AIADMK faction and the rival group led by Sasikala and her nephew Dinakaran.

Ever since the demise of former CM and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in December last year, the AIADMK has been witnessing infighting threatening to pull down the government.