Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president Thirunavukkarasar has said that the income-tax Department could have got ‘more’ had they raided the residences and other premises/factories owned by Sasikala and her family members during the time when former chief-minister J. Jayalalithaa was alive.

Week-long raids at premises/establishments/residences of Sasikala (cooling her heels at Bangalore’s Parappana Agrahara Prison complex) and her relatives/friends in Chennai and other places in the State and in New Delhi reportedly yielded huge unaccounted cash and gold/diamond jewellery besides some incriminating documents.  Raids were sparked by tax evasion indulged by the concerned individuals.

Reacting to the raids, TNCC president Tirunavukkarasar told newsmen that there was nothing ‘wrong’ in taxmen raiding the premises of Sasikala’s friends and relatives. “The unprecedented raids, targeted at only one group of AIADMK, give rise to the speculation that the Centre is favouring the ruling AIADMK against Sasikala and others. “List of documents/items recovered at the raids should be released,” he said.

“Those amass wealth should invariably pay (the penalty) for it,” he opined. On another note, he quipped that the Income Tax Department would have got ‘more’ in its kitty had the raids been conducted at the time when former chief-minister J. Jayalalithaa was alive.