Vijaya Baskar’s aide found dead in farm

Subramaniam’s house and office were among the various places that were searched by Income Tax (IT) sleuths on April 7. It was part of the raid at the premises of the minister and his close associate, after his name appeared in the list of the multi-crore cash for votes scam in the wake of RK Nagar by-election. 

When the by-poll was cancelled, offices of Subramaniam were sealed and his bank accounts forzen. Subramanian had gone to Switzerland for a holiday. In his absence, IT sleuths served the summon on his son Sabari (24). 

On his return Subramaniam appeared before the IT personnel at Chennai for an inquiry on May 4. His elder brother Kaliannan told reporters that Subramaniam was upset over the turn of events. Early on Monday morning he went to his farmland at Sevitturanganpatti village, near Mohanur and was found motionless by farm labourers. Though the family took him to the District Government Headquarters Hospital in Namakkal, doctors declared him brought dead.

While it was speculated that he could have committed suicide, his family said that he was a mentally strong man and would not have resorted to the extreme step. It is reliably learnt that Subramaniam was close to Vijaya Baskar and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. He was the contractor for various government construction works, the latest being the Pudukkottai Government Medical College and Hospital and quarters, for which the work is in progress at an outlay of close to Rs. 170 crore. 

Mohanur police have registered a case and the post mortem was conducted on Monday. It is suspected that he could have committed suicide by consuming poison with soft drinks. Police sources said that a bottle was retrieved close to the place where he was found dead and that it has been subjected to forensic analysis. After post-mortem his body was handed over to his relatives late in the evening on Monday and was cremated.