Chennai IT raids: Summons issued to Vijaya Bhaskar, Sarathkumar again

The trio has been asked to appear for questioning on April 17.

There seems to be no respite for Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijaya Bhaskar from Income Tax officials. The minister was yet again summoned for questioning. Fresh summons was issued to Bhaskar, actor-turned-politician Sarathkumar and Dr MGR medical University vice chancellor Geetha Lakshmi following raids by the IT sleuths.

The trio has been asked to appear for questioning on April 17 over seizures that were made during raids at properties belonging to them. Sarathkumar faces allegations of receiving Rs 7 crore from AIADMK Amma faction to extend his support for the R K Nagar bypoll, which was ultimately countermanded.

The IT sleuths are probing the money trail in connection with the R K Nagar bypoll where Rs 89 crore is said to have been spent by TTV Dinakaran's party to bribe voters. Sarathkumar has been questioned thrice earlier by the income tax officials and has been summoned for the fought time on April 17. His wife Raadhika also appeared for questioning after raids were conducted at her media venture Radaan media works' office in Chennai.

The vice chancellor of MGR university had sought a stay on the summons issued to her but the Madras high court dismissed her petition compelling her to appear before the income tax officials. Geetha Lakshmi appeared in person on Thursday and has been summoned once again.

Bhaskar, from whose possession incriminating documents are said to have been seized has also been asked to appear for the second time before IT officials. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu cabinet ministers and senior leaders of the Sasikala Natarajan faction of the AIADMk held a meeting with Dinakaran on Friday. While it is understood to have been a strategy meeting, Dinakaran maintained that it was a courtesy call on Tamil New Year.

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