Sleuths from the Vellore unit of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Friday conducted a day-long search in three places including the Aavin office in Sathuvachari in Vellore in connection with the case against former Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration K.C. Veeramani.
Friday’s searches came a day after former Chief Minister and AIADMK’s co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami met party functionaries in Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur to discuss local body elections.
Two teams, each comprising three officials, were led by DVAC inspector Vijayalakshmi and Rajinikanth.
They searched the Aavin premises, including the office of its chairman D. Velazhagan, in Vellore and his residence in Odugathur village. They also raided the house of Mr. Velazhagan’s friend Sampath Kumar in the town. “The searches are related to the case that has been filed against Mr. K.C. Veeramani at Vellore police station. We have seized some documents. Nothing more can be revealed now,” said a DVAC official.
The officials said Mr. Velazhagan also held the AIADMK district secretary post in suburban Vellore. Further, he has been chairman of Aavin’s Vellore unit for two terms since 2011.
Officials also claimed that he had been considered a close associate of Mr. K.C.Veeramani.
Though Mr. Velazhagan did not come under the scanner during the searches at the former Minister’s place on September 16, the DVAC officials said this time they had concrete leads to do so.
On September 16, DVAC conducted searches at 35 places including properties belonging to Mr. Veeramani in Chennai, Bengaluru, Ranipet, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri and his home town, Tirupattur.
