Madurai Corporation tax scam: Ex-zone chief's husband held

MADURAI: Central Crime Branch (CCB) police on Tuesday (October 13) arrested Saravanan, husband of Madurai Corporation's former north zone chairperson Buvaneswari, in the Rs 200-crore property tax scam, amid protests by DMK members.

Amid allegations that police indirectly helped some zonal chairpersons involved in the irregularities escape and helped many accused secure bail, cops resumed arrests in the sensational tax scam case.

Police also went looking for the husbands and relatives of three other former zonal chairpersons, who reportedly left their homes after they learned about the police searching for them.

The CCB team took Saravanan to the CCB office for questioning on Monday (October 12). He remanded him to judicial custody.

The case relates to tax irregularities involving the misuse of officials’ passwords between 2022 and 2024. When the issue came to light, then Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered an inquiry, following which the Mayor, five zonal chairpersons and two standing committee chairpersons resigned. However, no proper criminal investigation was conducted against them.

Subsequently, the AIADMK filed a case over the scam before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which ordered an investigation. A team headed by Madurai Range DIG Abhinav Kumar, with CCB Assistant Commissioner Vinodhini and Inspector Annalakshmi, conducted the probe.

Police had arrested 25 people in the case, including Ponvasanth, husband of former Mayor Indrani, and Kannan, husband of tax assessment committee chairperson Vijayalakshmi.

Thereafter, the police reportedly made no progress in the investigation. Recently, AIADMK councillors led by Leader of the Opposition Solairaja petitioned the Madurai Range DIG, complaining that the case was being delayed even after a new government assumed power.