The raids were conducted on 187 locations including Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and New Delhi (File)
Income Tax searches on properties linked to jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, her family members and associates over suspected tax evasion were almost over, officials said on Sunday. Authorities said the examination of documents and materials seized are underway and the outcome of the raids would be released on Monday.
"The search part is over, now recording of statements and questioning are remaining," the I-T official told news agency PTI. Over 1,000 tax officials had conducted searches at 187 locations across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Delhi.
The official declined to answer questions about the value of cash and type of documents seized during the raids, "compiling" was yet to be done, he said.
The raids were conducted based on inputs, including those from the Finance Ministry's Financial Intelligence Unit.
The allegations included suspicion of shell companies, dubious investments, suspicious fund flow and its transfers and fudging of accounts.
The office of Tamil channel "Jaya TV" in Chennai, TTV Dhinakaran's farm house off Auroville near Puducherry and premises of several other relatives of Sasikala at various other places were searched.
TTV Dhinkaran, deposed deputy general secretary of the AIADMK, has termed the searches a "conspiracy" aimed at ousting him and his aunt from politics. "If BJP thinks by destabilising us they can take roots in Tamil Nadu, they are day dreaming," he said.
PMK party chief Ambumani Ramadoss has demanded similar raids on Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam as well.
(With inputs from PTI)