Even as the raids by the Department of Income Tax continued for the third day on Wednesday on the business premises of SPK Group of Companies owned by persons believed to be close to Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, the demand from the Opposition for the resignation of the AIADMK Government became louder.
leader of Opposition MK Stalin who is also the working president of the DMK, asked the Chief Minister to resign immediately owning moral responsibility for the seizure of huge cash and gold from the office and residential premises of persons who are close to him. “The silence maintained by the chief minister is disturbing. He should resign immediately because the raids were held on the premises of persons who are his close relations,” Stalin said while speaking to reporters at Chennai on Wednesday.
The IT raids spread over the last two days have in the SPK Group Companies have resulted in the seizure of Rs 200 Crore in cash and 105 kg gold till late Tuesday. Details regarding the seizures made on Wednesday have not been revealed at the time of going to Press.
Meanwhile, S Semmalai, senior AIADMK leader, told The Pioneer that there was nothing unusual in the Income Tax raids. “The taxmen raided the residences and offices of businessmen who reportedly evaded tax. The AIADMK or the Chief Minister does not have anything to do with these raids. It is a coincidence that the people raided by the tax department were close to the relations of the CM. But how come the CM could be held responsible for the raidsIJ” asked Semmalai, former minister and former MP.
He also stated that the AIADMK’s stance on the no confidence motion introduced in the lok Sabha n Wednesday would be known by Friday. “Our leaders, Edappadi Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam will take a joint decision on the issue. It will not have any bearing on the Income Tax raids,” said the AIADMK leader.
While the IT raids were happening across the State, factions owing allegiance to the official AIADMK and the dissident leader TTV Dhinakaran created tense moments in RK Nagar constituency on Wednesday.
The two factions fought pitched battles across the constituency when Dhinakaran, the local MlA reached R K Nagar to distribute relief materials to the poor sections. A group of people, believed to be AIADMK workers confronted him with currency notes of Rs 20 denomination allegedly distributed by him during the run up to the by-election held in December 2017. The voters alleged that the election managers of Dhinakaran had told them that they would be given Rs 6,000 per person if they cast their votes for Dhinakaran, who had contested as an independent.
But Dhinakaran said neither he nor his supporters had made any such offer and this was being raked up to defame him. A woman police officer and a constable were injured in the melee.