IT raids on former AIADMK Minister

Chennai, Aug 23 (UNI) Income Tax authorities today conducted search operations in 12 places and surveyed 24 premises in Chennai, Dindigul and Madurai belonging to former AIADMK Minister Natham R Viswanathan, his brother Jayaraj and their associates, engaged in running cinema, transport business, automobile business and pumps bunks.

Official sources said 200 department officials were engaged in the operation and they detected duplicate accounts books in the transport business, suppression of collections from cinema theatres, undisclosed jewellery, investment on movable and immovable property, suppression of transactions in money lending business and suppression of marriage expenses.

The sources said the total undisclosed income was still being evaluated and some bank lockers have been sealed.

A report from Madurai said besides Mr Viswanathan's native home at Vembarpatti village, the IT team raided a petrol pump, mango pulp and juice unit and the P R College of Arts and Science with which he was associated, all in the vicinity of Natham, near Dindigul.

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