Stalin condemns IT raid at daughter’s house, DMK complains to EC  

At a time when electioneering for the April 6 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls is at its peak, Income Tax officials on Friday carried out searches in the premises of DMK President M.K. Stalin's daughter Senthamarai in Chennai, sources said.

Senthamarai is married to Sabareesan, who is said to have a major say in the DMK.

Tax officials are also carrying out search operations in a couple of other places belonging to persons connected with the DMK.

Tax officials are searching the house of Karthik, son of Mohan, DMK's Anna Nagar constituency candidate.

Reacting to the searches, Stalin tweeted that with their electoral loss certain and in the absence of people's support, the BJP is misusing its powers.

"We are not slaves like the AIADMK to fall at the feet for such threats. Fearless. Daringly we will oppose," Stalin said.

Electoral allies of the DMK such as the VCK have condemned the raids.

Last month Income Tax officials searched former minister and DMK leader E.V. Velu's residence and other premises connected with him.

Meanwhile the DMK has complained to the Election Commission of India alleging that tax officials had entered Senthamarai's residence forcibly.

"The income tax department has been used as a sword and as a pawn in the hands of the ruling BJP party and there are no reasons as to why these searches are being conducted few days before the election date viz 6.4.2021," DMK said in its compliant.

Pointing out the opinion polls have favoured DMK to capture power in the state, DMK said: "The overall sentiments of the people are in favour of the DMK combine as for last 10 years there has been high rise of corruption and high rise of offences against women including sexual harassments at the workplace including one incident by a top police official in the DGP rank."

Urging the poll body to intervene and direct the Income Tax department to refrain itself from abusing its power during elections, the DMK said the act of tax deparment amounts to corrupt practice falling within the definition of Section 123(7) of Representation of People Act.

Alleging the tax officials under the garb of discharge of official duties are abusing their powers for the purpose of poll prospects of the AIADMK- BJP combine, DMK added that all the officials involved in these operations will be named and tried accordingly in accordance with law.

"Further their actions amounted to intimidating and defaming and therefore they will not have any protection under the Act for their official discharge of functions," the party added.