Income Tax raids Kanimozhi's residence in Thoothukudi, finds nothing

Chennai, Apr 16: The income tax department raided the house of DMK leader Kanimozhi in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi on Tuesday evening.

The I-T department has now clarified that Kanimozhi cooperated with the team and nothing was found from her residence.

The raid was conducted based on tip off alleging that case was being stashed at her residence. The IT officials were unable to find any cash or any other incriminating evidences from the premises.

The raids come as Lok Sabha elections in Vellore were cancelled following a huge cash haul, allegedly from the house of a DMK candidate. This was the first time Lok Sabha polls were cancelled in cash-for-votes allegations.

Kanimozhi is the DMK's candidate from Thoothukudi in the Lok Sabha elections.

The officials of the Income Tax department conducted searches in the house of DMK Treasurer Duraimurugan in the wee hours of March 30 and then conducted searches in the cement godown on April 1.

The search was conducted based on information given by the District Electoral Officer of Vellore. More than Rs 11 crore was seized by the officials on April 1. The cash was stacked in cartons, gunny sacks and shopping bags.

An FIR was registered against Duraimurugan's son DM Kathir Anand on April 8 and two of his team members.

DMK chief MK Stalin hits out at the Election Commission (EC) for raids at Kanimozhi's residence. In a statement, Stalin accused PM Modi of using the EC to tarnish image of the DMK.

"Tamiliasai Soundarrajan has several crores of money at her residence. Why no raids at her place? Despite a proper complaint to EC no action has been taken. I call for reforms in election commission in the future," he said.