Bengaluru: The Directorate of Income Tax (Investigation), Karnataka & Goa last week busted another scam of undisclosed assets reportedly linked to the AIADMK (Amma) faction after they seized a fleet of imported luxury cars and a Ducati motorbike, which allegedly belong to Sukesh Chandrasekhar – a middleman, who was arrested on April 16 this year by Delhi police for allegedly attempting to bribe the Election Commission over the AIADMK two-leaves symbol for the party (Amma) faction in the Rajendranagar Assembly by poll.
It is reliably learnt that on credible information the DGIT, Karnataka & Goa on October 12 had seized two imported luxury vehicles – a Bentley and a Jaguar in Bengaluru along with some valuable personal belongings, which reportedly belonged to Sukesh, an under trial prisoner in Tihar jail, who was brought to Bengaluru last month for a court hearing.
The car trail took the I-T sleuths to Kochi, where between November 8 and 10 they found that Sukesh, while he was in prison, had bought a fleet of cars inclosing a Porsche, a Lamborghini, a Rolls Royce, a Range Rover, a BMW, a Fortuner, a Prado and a Ducati in August by paying Rs five crore in cash. The luxury vehicles were reportedly in the custody of Navas, who is a close associate of Sukesh. Navas later deposed before the Directorate and stated that all the vehicles belonged to Sukesh.
The I-T sleuths seized the original documents of the vehicles and three expensive wrist watches from the location. Navas took the officials to various locations in Kochi, where the vehicles were parked. "The premises belong to an NRI,” highly placed sources told this newspaper.
The DGIT last month had complained to the Delhi police that the police escorts, who were accompanying Sukesh for court hearing had let down their guard after they found Sukesh shopping in a prominent mall in the City. The seven policemen were suspended from service following the written complaint.
Sasikala’s nephew Dinakaran was arrested on April 25 in Delhi following the arrest of Sukesh, who had allegedly taken Rs 50 crore from Dinakaran to help the AIADMK (Amma) faction keep the two leaves symbol and seized Rs 1.30 crore from him. Sukesh was subsequently chargesheeted for various alleged offences under the Indian Penal Code.
The Income Tax Department in Tamil Nadu has last week unearthed undisclosed income of over Rs 1,430 crore from the properties of Sasikala and her kin.
