Vigilance raids on former AIADMK minister's residences

Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, May 22 (UNI) Sleuths from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) today conducted simultaneous raids on the residences of former AIADMK Minister Natham R Viswanathan, his relatives and friends.

Five teams of the DVAC commenced the search at five places, including his native Vembarpatti and ancestral village Ulluppaikudi.

Officials were tightlipped about the seizures, if any, and the search lasted for more than five hours.

Those who came under the scanner were his brothers at Uluppaikudi and at the NGO Colony here and his engineer friend at MVM Nagar in the town.

Reacting to the development, Mr Viswanathan, who was transport minister in the previous Jayalalithaa cabinet and an AIADMK strongman, termed them as part of the vindictive actions of the DMK regime.

Earlier also, the Income Tax Department had conducted similar raids but nothing incriminating could be unearthed, he told a group of reporters at Vembarpatti.

UNI