CHENNAI: Four top restaurant chains in Chennai were raided by the Income Tax department for alleged tax evasion on Thursday morning. Searches are being conducted in 32 locations, according to a top Income Tax department official. 

The official told Express that searches are being conducted at the offices and residences of the directors of Saravana Bhavan, Anjappar, Grand Sweets and Hot Breads. All four are popular restaurant chains in the city and some have branches abroad too. 

Of the four groups, Saravana Bhavan, established by P Rajagopal in 1981, is the most famous.

"He brought prestige to the vegetarian business," Manoharan, a competitor running another famous chain Murugan Idli said of  Rajagopal to New York Times in an interview. "He made a revolution."

Anjappar was established in 1964 and offers traditional Chettinad cuisine at more than 70 outlets.

The Grand Sweets and Snacks was established in 1982 by G Natarajan. Among the most famous customers of the original Grand Sweets is the film director Mani Ratnam.

Hot Breads was started by M Mahadevan, a former Assistant Professor at Madras University, who in an interview claimed that his inspiration to enter the industry came from Arthur Hailey's Hotel.

Further details are awaited.

(With inputs from Express News Service)