The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Wednesday conducted searches at the residence and spinning mills of former minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran in Virudhunagar district.
The simultaneous operation was conducted at ten places, including the residences of his son and son-in-law in Chennai, vigilance sources said.
Mr. Ramachandran, who is the district secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, termed the vigilance action “politically motivated”.
The officials swung into action following a preliminary enquiry into “specific information” that Mr. Ramachandran, during his tenure as Minister for Health and later as Minister for Backward Classes Welfare between 2006 and 2011, had acquired properties in his name and in the name of his family members to the tune of several lakhs of rupees.
The Virudhunagar unit of the DVAC on Tuesday had registered a case under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, after a prima facie case was made out against Mr.Ramachandran that he had amassed wealth disproportionate to his know sources of income.
Mr. Ramachandran, who was available at his Ramamoorthy Road residence where the officials arrived early in the morning, said “We have extended all cooperation to the police.”
Stating that it was the fourth generation of his family that was into several business ventures, Mr. Ramachandran said he and his family members had been maintaining accounts for all business.
Seven DVAC teams from different districts, led by its Superintendent of Police (Southern Region), C. Maheswari, also searched the spinning mills belonging to Mr. Ramachandran at Virudhunagar and Aruppukottai and his cinema theatre here.
The teams also raided the residence and textile shop of his son, Ramesh, at Aruppukottai, and the residences of Mr. Ramachandran's relatives Subbaraj and Venugopal at Virudhunagar and Palavanatham respectively.
A DVAC official said that several documents pertaining to land, bank passbooks and accounts of expenditure were taken into custody by the teams.
Several DMK cadre, including Tiruchuli MLA and former Minister Thangam Thennarasu, gathered at Mr. Ramachandran's residence.
