The searches being carried out by the Income Tax officials on the premises of persons linked to Minister for Electricity, Excise and Prohibition V. Senthilbalaji continued for the fourth consecutive day in Karur on Monday.
A sprawling campus on Karur-Salem highway, where a bungalow is being constructed by a close relative of Mr. Senthilbalaji, the house of Sankaranand, a government contractor, at Gandhi Nagar, and the residence of his accountant at Mullai Nagar in North Gandhi Gramam were among the prominent places where the searches continued.
A group of about 25 I-T officials went to an office of Sankaranand Infra on 80-feet road to carry out a search in the morning. But it was said that the persons concerned failed to turn up for opening the office. After waiting for some time, the officials entered the office by force. They then began their search. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were posted in front of the premises, where the searches were underway. In some place, State police personnel were also posted.
Sources said the I-T officials had expanded their search net further based on inputs received by them during the searches on Friday and Saturday.
A police officer said five special teams had been formed to arrest those involved in connection with the assault on I-T officials.