Operation Clean Money drive, the largest ever raid in Tamil Nadu by the Income-Tax Department which commenced on early Thursday morning, concluded on Tuesday morning.
Though the Department is still tight-lipped about the details of the seizures made in the raids held at the residences and business establishments of the jailed VK Sasikala, the ousted general secretary of the AIADMK and her close relations, local media in Chennai quoting some officials in the Department said the raids unearthed Rs 1,430 crore of unaccounted cash. But sources in Income Tax Department told The Pioneer that this was far from true as the process of assessment was not yet over.
Vivek Jayaraman, nephew of Sasikala, whose house and offices in Chennai were raided by the Income-Tax team told reporters on Tuesday that the operation was a smooth affair and he offered all cooperation to the team from the department. “They did their job and I did my job. I don’t think this is a political vendetta as made out by some sections. I am ready to cooperate with the I-T department,” Vivek Jayaraman told reporters outside the Income Tax office at Nungambakkam in Chennai on Tuesday.
He said the raids in his house and Jaya TV offices were concluded without any hitch. “During questioning, they asked me about the documents of jewels owned by my wife. I told them that we would submit it within a few days. We are ready to cooperate with the I-T officials in future also,” said Jayaraman, son of Ilavarasi, Sasikala’s sister-in-law who is also serving her four year sentence in Parappana Agrahara central prison in Bangalore as a convict in the disproportionate asset case.
Interestingly, he asked the media not to drag the name of BJP into the whole affair.
One particular aspect about the raid which has not been reported by the local media was the constitution of the team which called on the 187 places as part of Clean Money Drive. The Pioneer learns that the team included many staff members drawn out from various other departments other than the Income Tax wing.
The raids have evoked mixed feelings in the Congress. EVKS Elangovan, former Union Minister and former TNCC president demanded that Sasikala, an associate of Jayalalithaa, should be interrogated by the Income Tax Department. “The raids happened in the houses and establishment of her extended family members. Sasikala should be interrogated to elicit information about the Rs 5,000 crore of unaccounted money which has been unearthed in the raids,” said Elangovan while speaking to reporters at Chennai.
But S Thirunavakkarassar, president, TNCC, alleged that the Union Government was targeting Sasikala faction of the AIADMK. “All senior leaders of the AIADMK should have been raided instead of targeting Sasikala and her family members. The present raids are part of the Centre’s efforts to weaken one faction of the AIADMK,” alleged Thirunavakkarassar, himself a former AIADMK leader.