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On Friday, the Income Tax Department conducted multiple raids at various locations in Tamil Nadu associated with state minister EV Velu, marking the fourth senior DMK leader to come under scrutiny by central agencies.
Velu holds key portfolios in the MK Stalin-led cabinet, overseeing public works, highways, and minor ports.
These raids were carried out at over 40 locations across the state, including Velu’s hometown in Tiruvannamalai. An official familiar with the situation stated that the searches encompassed residences, offices, and educational institutions, including Arunai Engineering College, which he owns. Additionally, contractors working with the public works department (PWD) were also subjected to the scrutiny of the Income Tax Department.
Velu, who is known to be in close association with Chief Minister Stalin, previously served as the food minister in the DMK cabinet from 2006 to 2011.
Notably, Velu is the fourth senior DMK leader to face such investigations by federal agencies in recent months. His cabinet colleague, V Senthil Balaji, is presently detained under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, filed by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED also conducted raids and questioned the Higher Education Minister, K Ponmudy. Last month, Arakkonam MP S Jagathrakshagan was subject to an Income Tax Department raid.
Numerous members of Velu’s cabinet expressed support for him. Chief Minister Stalin’s son and Sports Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, remarked, “I-T and ED are essentially wings of the BJP. Their actions have escalated in recent months, but we will address these issues through legal means.”
Senior DMK leader and Minister for Water Resources, S Durai Murugan, emphasized that DMK experiences almost daily raids, leading the party to view them as relatively insignificant.
Minister for Milk and Dairy Development, Mano Thangaraj, labeled these events as a “political drama by the Union government.”
Outside Velu’s residence, his supporters gathered, chanting slogans against the BJP-led Union government.
The raids in March 2021, ahead of Tamil Nadu’s assembly elections, were also a previous occurrence involving Velu.
