RK Nagar bypoll: I-T raid on TN health minister, actor Sarathkumar premises 

Income tax officials on Friday conducted raids on several premises of Tamil Nadu health minister C Vijayabaskar and his relatives in Chennai and other districts following complaints that he was complicit in cash distribution to voters in RK Nagar constituency where a by-election will be held on April 12.

They also conducted searches on the premises of actor and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi leader R Sarathkumar, former AIADMK legislator Chitlapakkam Rajendran and vice-chancellor of Dr MGR Medical University S Geethalakshmi.

On Thursday, Sarathkumar met AIADMK (Amma) candidate in RK Nagar TTV Dhinakaran and extended support to him.

Vijayabaskar is the first minister to come under IT searches in recent times.

"The minister and his relatives were on the radar of the income tax department. In the last few days, we have received complaints that the minister was directly involved in distribution of cash to voters in R K Nagar," a TOI report stated quoting a senior I-T investigation wing official.

Sources said four complaints have been filed against the minister since the by-election date was announced in R K Nagar.

Searches were conducted in 19 different places in Chennai while in districts like Trichy and Pudukottai, 13 places were searched.

"The searches were conducted in stone quarries, at colleges and on residential premises of the minister and his close relatives," said the official.

The searches started at 6am.

Vijayabaskar has been in the limelight since the AIADMK split into two factions with former chief minister O Panneerselvam accusing him of siding with V K Sasikala and her family members and pressurising him to quit.

Four CRPF men were providing security for 10 income tax officials who were searching Vijayabaskar's official residence on the Greenways Road here.