Two Days Before Polls, I-T Raids at DMK Candidate Kanimozhi's Residence in Thoothukudi
Kanimozhi, the daughter of former chief minister and party chief M Karunanidhi, is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Thoothukudi against Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan.
New Delhi: Income-Tax officials and a static surveillance team of the Election Commission on Tuesday evening conducted raids at the residence of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi in Thoothukudi.
Kanimozhi, the daughter of former chief minister and party chief M Karunanidhi, is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Thoothukudi against Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan.
Sources have said that the I-T Department is yet to execute a warrant.
Questioning the timing of the raids, DMK President MK Stalin hit out at the EC and said the poll body is being "deliberately used by [PM Narendra] Modi to target the party".
“Tamiliasai Soundararajan has several crores of money at her residence. But why have no raids taken place at her resident? Despite a proper complaint to the Election Commission, no action has been taken," he said while calling for reforms in the poll watchdog.
DMK workers have been protesting against the raids outside the DMK leader's residence and raising 'Down with Modi' slogans.
Several raids have been conducted over the last few weeks, mostly targetting members of the Opposition members and their aides. Earlier on Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu slammed the central government over continuing I-T raids, alleging the searches were only targeted against those who opposed the BJP.