State Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar, whose assets in his native Pudukkottai district have been attached by the Income Tax Department, said on Friday that he would face all the cases legally.
In a three-page statement, he said the lands in his native Thiruvengaivasal were bought in 2007 in his name for business purposes and necessary clearances had been obtained and all applicable taxes paid, Mr. Vijaya Baskar said in a statement.
His was one of the 120 blue metal companies functioning in Pudukottai district and he had given the power of attorney to his father C. Chinnathambi after he took oath as the Minister, he said.
Mr. Vijaya Baskar clarified that he had no cook or assistant called Subbiah.
In his company, Mr. Subbiah was a sub-contractor, the Minister said, adding that his family members were not running any benami business.
“As a law-abiding citizen I appeared before the Income Tax Department all three times and have been cooperative. I will soon prove I have done nothing wrong legally,” Mr. Vijaya Baskar said.
Gutkha scam
Joining issue with DMK leader M.K. Stalin for his statements against him, the Minister alleged that the Leader of the Opposition was indulging in mud-slinging only because he [Vijaya Baskar] was a young, active and efficient Minister.
He reiterated that he would soon prove that he did not know Madhav Rao in the gutkha scam, that it was a foisted case and he would face it legally.
Taking a swipe at the DMK for facing several cases including the 2G scam, Mr. Vijaya Baskar said that the sordid episodes of corruption were still afresh in public memory.
