TIRUCHY: Sleuths from Income-Tax raised seven premises belonging to the close aides of DMK leader V Senthilbalaji in Karur on Friday.

Among the key persons to come under the taxmen’s radar was Sankar Anand, a PWD contractor, whose house on Palaniappa Street was searched by the officials. Sources said he has several business establishments across the district. Sankar used to accompany the DMK leader whenever he visited Karur and is also closely associated with Senthilbalaji’s influential brother V Ashok Kumar, sources said.

Around 11 am on Friday, a team of I-T officials raided Sankar’s house, his old office on Sengunthapuram Third Cross, and also the new office on Fourth Cross.

Similarly, the officials raided the hotel owned by ‘Mess’ Subramanian, another associate of Senthilbalaji, on Karur-Coimbatore road and also his house. Another aide to face I-T action was Karthi, whose house on Erode road and hotel at Coimbatore road searched. The searches lasted till the evening.