IT sleuths grills TN health minister and actor Sarath Kumar

Three days after conducting raids across the State, Income Tax (IT) sleuths in Tamil Nadu on Monday grilled State Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar and actor-turned politician Sarath Kumar pertaining to the documents seized during the search.

Both of them were questioned for more than four hours at the office of IT investigation wing, headed by Director General of Investigation, Murali Kumar and Deputy Directors of Investigation, Joy Joseph and Jayaraghavan.

On Friday, IT authorities conducted searches at more than 30 places in Tamil Nadu including at the residence of Sarath Kumar and Vijayabhaskar, who is close to V K Sasikala's nephew Dhinakaran. They also reportedly seized incriminating documents from their residence.
 
After IT department submitted detailed reports on seizures during the search, the Election Commission cancelled the April 12 by-poll to the R K Nagar constituency in Chennai.

After receiving the summons, Vijayabhaskar and Sarath Kumar appeared before the IT officials in the morning amid tight security.

IT department sources said that the minister was questioned about the seizure of a document allegedly showing transaction details of Rs 89 crore, linked to the RK Nagar poll expense of AIADMK candidate Dhinakaran for bribing voters.

The officials also sought minister's explanation about the seizure of Rs 5.5 crore from his relatives houses during the raids.  "I explained to all the questions asked by the IT officials", Vijayabhaskar said.

Similarly, Sarath Kumar was also questioned by the authorities about the seizure of incriminating documents and Rs 10 lakh cash from his house.  However, Tamil Nadu
MGR Medical University Vice-Chancellor Dr Geethalakshmi, who was also subjected to IT raid, did not appear before the officials.
 
Meanwhile, political leaders including DMK working president M K Stalin demanded a CBI investigation against all the ministers whose names figured in the list of distribution of money to the tune of Rs 89 crore to the voters.  EoM