Income-Tax officials searched Veda Nilayam, the residence of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, at Poes Garden in Chennai late on Friday. Electronic gadgets, including a laptop, desktop and other storage devices were seized.
Confirming the seizures to The Hindu, a senior I-T official said the raids were based on a specific input that some persons had conspired to clandestinely remove “crucial evidence” such as documents and electronic gadgets from the rooms earlier occupied by jailed AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala, a close aide of Jayalalithaa, and the late Chief Minister’s Personal Assistant Poongundram.
A special team of the investigation wing , accompanied by official witnesses, entered Veda Nilayam shortly after 8.30 p.m. A strong posse of police personnel put up barricades blocking access to the main entry. “We searched the rooms that were used by Sasikala and Poongundram. We did not open the rooms that were occupied by the late Chief Minister when she was alive. Some devices have been seized for further investigation. The entire premises are not being searched... we went on a limited mission,” the official said.
When a team comprising 15 Income-Tax officials, led by an Additional Commissioner, came to Veda Nilayam armed with a search warrant they were prevented by police deployed on the road leading to the bungalow.
However, on information, senior police officials reached the spot and facilitated their entry.
As the news of the searches on Veda Nialayam spread, Vivek Jayaraman, son of J. Ilavarsi, and Managing Director of Jaya TV and other AIADMK functionaries arrived at Poes Garden. Some party workers raised slogans condemning the searches. When a handful of party workers attempted self-immolation by taking petrol from motorcycles parked in the area, police intervened and took them into custody.
Sidelined AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran said in a series of tweets that the searches were an assault in Amma’s soul. He blamed Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam for the raids and asked how much more of betrayal the two would resort to to keep their posts. He alleged that Income-Tax officials were trying to open Jayalalithaa’s room.
This is the second time Jayalalithaa's bungalow is being raided. In 1996, the DVAC had raided her house.
