Little progress in following money trail

Geethalakshmi appeared before the investigation team at the Income Tax Investigation wing office in Nungambakkam on Wednesday morning. She was questioned for several hours. 

Dr Geethalakshmi had earlier approached the Madras High Court to dismiss the summons issued to her by the department, but was directed by the Court to appear before the investigation agency. Sources in the I-T department said they wanted to know the details regarding the financial transactions between the VC and the Health Minister. The I-T department had seized the documents from Geethalakshmi’s Saligramam residence. Sources said the department has collected a large amount of evidence, which would be of great use to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, to register a disproportionate assets case against the VC. 

The I-T sleuths also continued to question Radikaa Sarath Kumar on Wednesday. The officials have not been able to trace the money that Sarath Kumar had reportedly taken from the AIADMK (Amma) faction, to extend his support to TTV Dinakaran at R K Nagar. The officials had raided the premises of Radaan Mediaworks owned by Radikaa, hoping to unearth the money trail. They had also seized documents from the residence of Sarath Kumar and from the Radaan Media office in T Nagar. Radikaa, who was supposed to be present for questioning in the morning, turned up only in the evening. The I-T wing had questioned Sarath Kumar for eight hours on Tuesday, but could not get much information leading to the money trail. 

The Income Tax Investigation wing has lodged a complaint against three state ministers and an  AIADMK (Amma) Delhi leader for obstructing the I-T employees and trying to prevent them from carrying out their duties. 

It has also raised the issue of misbehaviour with a woman deputy director. The city police have been sitting on this complaint for the last one week without initiating any probe. I-T sources told DTNext that they had lodged the complaint the day after the incident, but no action has been initiated so far. The complaint has been lodged against ministers Vijaya Baskar, Udumalai Radhakrishnan, Kamaraj and leader Dalavai Sundaram. In the complaint submitted to the City Police Commissioner, it has been alleged that the officials were threatened and an attempt was made to stop them from carrying out their duty. 

A senior lady officer was also roughed up by the ministers and their coterie. They sought legal action against the accused.