Jaya TV IT raid involved 1,800 officials and was biggest in recent times

The raids conducted on Jaya TV and 187 other places was probably one of the biggest operations carried out by the Income Tax Department in recent times. Raids took place simultaneously at 187 locations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Bengaluru.

The raids carried out under "Operation Clean Money," involved 1,800 officials of the IT department. While at the Jaya TV office, there were 10 officers and in other places, the strength was between 10 and 12 each. In addition to this, there was security personnel to assist the IT sleuths.

Sources in the IT department say that there were complaints about shell companies, dubious investments, fund flow and fudging of accounts by Jaya TV, started by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and currently controlled by the family of Sasikala.

The raids began early this morning at the Jaya TV office at Ekkatthuthangal in Chennai. Sources say that raids were conducted simultaneously at different locations.

Those who were the target of these raids were Sasikala's aides. Her brother Dinakaran's home too was raided by the IT officials. The IT sleuths were also at the Kodanad tea estate, the luxurious hill resort that belonged to Jayalalithaa.

The other places that were raided were the residence of AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran at Mannai Nagar in Mannargudi. Sasikala's brother Dhivakaran's residence at Sundara Kottai, the residence of Vivek Jayaraman in Chennai, Jazz Cinemas owned by Sasikala's family members.

Residence of Pugazhendi, Karnataka AIADMK secretary at Bangalore, office of Dr Namadhu MGR, Sasikala's elder brother Sundaravadanam's residence in Gandhi Nagar in Pudukkottai and Sasikala's husband M Natarajan's Thanjavur residence were also raided.

OneIndia News