Chennai: In yet another long string of extensive raids across multiple locations in Tamil Nadu, the Income Tax sleuths on Monday conducted searches at the offices and residences associated with the SPK Group, a longtime highways contractor with alleged links to political high-ups. The IT department had recently raided the companies supplying eggs and nutritious food to the TN noon meals scheme.
Informed sources said the present raids in about 30 locations in Chennai, Madurai, Aruppukottai and elsewhere began in the early hours of the day and continued through the night at most places. A huge amount of cash and incriminating documents were seized. One estimate was that about '80 crore was seized in addition to a large amount of gold. A substantial part of the ‘booty’ was picked up from cars parked in various premises raided, sources said.
They said properties of Nagarajan Seyyadurai, managing director, SPK and Co Expressway Pvt Ltd, were also raided. A source said the SPK Group, one of the main road contractors in the state for a long time, has been under IT scanner for sometime following information of large-scale cash movement post demonetisation; besides, there were suspicious elements in the books of accounts and tax returns. The ‘concerned’ persons in the Group and allied outfits are being questioned, the source added.
While senior minister D. Jayakumar sought to downplay the political significance of the IT raids, arguing that the taxmen were only doing their job in going after tax evasion cases and this one has nothing to do with any irregularity linked to the state government, opposition DMK was quick to cry foul.
Party working president M.K. Stalin tweeted from London saying that the SPK group under the IT scanner was a ‘benami’ of Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and had been rewarded massive road contracts against norms. He wanted investigation and the restoration of the booty to state exchequer.
Rubbishing Stalin’s charge, minister Jayakumar said the DMK leader had no locus standi making such charges since massive corruption in awarding road contracts had taken place during the DMK rule, 2006-2011. The same contractors were operating even then, he said, adding that the present AIDMK government was awarding contracts to the lowest bidder showing no undue favour as per the Tender Transparency Act. Stalin must look into the mirror before making his wild charges on twitter from distant London, the AIADMK senior said.
