On Monday, the Tamil Nadu Police arrested nine persons including two DMK Councillors for stopping the government officials from performing their duty. The accused persons are said to have stopped the Income Tax Officials from doing their duty while the latter had tried to search premises linked to State Minister Senthil Balaji on May 26.
According to the reports, DMK workers prevented an Income-Tax (I-T) team from examining the leased residence of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji and his brother Ashok in Karur town and damaged their car as the officials conducted simultaneous searches at around 40 locations connected to the two on Friday morning.
Based on CCTV visuals, we identified the persons who attacked and prevented IT officials from doing their duty. So far, we have arrested 10 which includes two DMK Councillors. They were also sent to remand. Further investigation is going on: Karur Police official#TamilNadu
— ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2023
I-T authorities said that because of demonstrations, searches had to be stopped at a few other locations as well. The police said that the CCTV visuals were checked to identify the persons who attacked and prevented IT officials from doing their duty. “So far, we have arrested 10 which includes two DMK Councillors. They were also sent to remand. Further investigation is going on,” the Police said.
The searches were carried out at properties in Chennai, Coimbatore and Karur districts. “Around 40 premises linked to Balaji and his brother Ashok are under inspection since morning. The properties mostly belong to Balaji, his brother, and their close allies and friends,” the IT officials were quoted as saying.
V Senthil Balaji is the Minister of Electricity, Excise and Prohibition. He alleged that the Income Tax officials scaled the compound wall of his rented accommodation in Karur.
However, it was reported that more than 200 DMK workers, including Karur Mayor Kavitha Ganesan, accosted the I-T officials earlier in the day and demanded that they provide their ID cards. They also vandalized a car belonging to the Income Tax (I-T) department and manhandled officials of the department.
VIDEO | Supporters of Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji vandalise a car in Karur where Income Tax searches are underway. pic.twitter.com/8Pt8CZJByY
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 26, 2023
The ruckus came under control only after the Police were called on the spot. The DMK stated that the BJP had been attacking opposition parties via government organisations like the Income Tax. DMK organisation secretary R S Bharathi also claimed that the BJP was targeting the DMK because of the M K Stalin-led government’s popularity in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhil, K Annamalai, head of the BJP’s state unit, criticized the state government over the Karur event, stating that ‘the law and order in the state has failed’. He demanded harsh punishment for anyone who hindered the I-T team. Balaji, a prominent figure in Karur, joined the DMK before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He was formerly a powerful minister in the AIADMK Cabinet.
The I-T searches were initiated in response to charges made against Balaji, including claims of a cash-for-jobs fraud, inconsistencies, and a lack of transparency in the management of the financially successful Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited, which markets imported alcohol throughout the state.
Earlier the state police had also said that neither the police nor the CRPF were informed about the searches and that the IT officials had reached at the minister’s brother’s house in plainclothes. However, the Police on Monday took cognizance of the event and arrested nine persons including DMK councillor for stopping the government officials from performing their duty.
