Tamil Nadu: Income Tax Department Launches Raids Against Stalin Cabinet Minister EV Velu, DMK MLA

Income Tax sleuths are conducting searches at several locations connected to Tamil Nadu minister EV Velu.

EV Velu landed in trouble after I-T officials launched searches at locations connected to him across Tamil Nadu

Source : Facebook@evvelumla

Another Tamil Nadu Minister EV Velu has come under the lens of central agencies, reportedly for alleged tax evasion-related offences. Income Tax officials on Friday morning conducted searches at several locations in the state linked to the state Minister of Public Works, Highways, and Minor Ports, reported news agency PTI.

IT Department also carried out searches at the residence of DMK leader Meena Jayakumar in Coimbatore's Nanjundapuram. However, details of the nature of the search are yet to be revealed by the department.

Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji is already in ED custody over a money laundering case in a 'cash-for-jobs' scam.

On Monday, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of Senthil Balaji's plea seeking bail on medical grounds until next week, as reported by Live Law.

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi was hearing a special leave petition against an October 19 order of the Madras High Court dismissing Balaji's application for bail on medical grounds.

After an adjournment request was made on behalf of the legislator's counsel and the solicitor general, the bench initially decided to defer the hearing for four weeks.

At this juncture, the junior lawyer appearing for Balaji protested, "It's a bail matter. We are seeking bail on medical grounds. Can it be taken up on Monday?" as quoted by Live Law. "If it were such an urgent matter," Justice Trivedi commented, "the counsel should have been present." Ultimately, Justice Bose made a partial concession, saying, "We'll take it up Monday week."

Last month, income tax raids took place at various locations of some land dealers in Jharkhand and West Bengal over alleged tax evasion. The IT raids began at 5 a.m. on Monday morning. IT started raiding the houses and establishments of more than half a dozen land traders of Deoghar and Jasidih.