Chennai: Income-Tax investigators on Wednesday questioned Dr. S.Geethalakshmi, vice-chancellor of Dr MGR Medical University, actor-turned-politician R Sarath Kumar and his wife actor Radhika in Chennai as follow-up action on the recent raids and searches in their premises. The searches by I-T officials last Friday on the premises of the health minister Dr. C.Vijayabhaskar and associates had allegedly revealed routing of '89 crore for distribution among voters in RK Nagar Assembly constituency where the bypoll was cancelled over a massive cash-for-vote scam. At that time, I-T sleuths had also raided premises belonging to Dr. Geethalakshmi and Sarath Kumar. Sarath Kumar had extended his support to TTV Dinakaran, RK candidate of Sasikala faction of AIADMK, on Thursday. The health minister is believed to be a strong supporter of Dhinakaran.
Dr. Geethalakshmi on Wednesday arrived at the income-tax office at around 11 am and was allowed go home at around 6 pm. Sleuths reportedly questioned her dealings with the health minister. Among many documents recovered by them during raids, one shows a receipt of '32 lakh by the minister against MGR University OA post. The I-T officials reportedly questioned the VC about it as well. The Madras High court had on Tuesday rejected the VC's petition to quash the I-T summons, following which she appeared before the investigators.
Sarath Kumar and Radhika arrived at the income-tax office at around 3 pm and the grilling went on late into the evening. The department had on Tuesday searched a media production house run by Radhika Sarath Kumar for the second time. Sarath Kumar had yesterday told reporters that the I-T department was continuing the probe and had asked him to submit some more documents. I-T officials believe Sarath Kumar had received a huge amount to announce support for Dhinakaran during the bypoll.
