Income Tax lifts prohibitory orders on TTV, Sasikala aides premises; Conducts inquiries in 13 places

CHENNAI:

After conducting raids at more than 180 premises belonging to aides and relatives of of jailed AIADMK leader Sasikala and ousted AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, the Income Tax on Wednesday lifted prohibitory orders on some of them.

A senior Income tax official said the prohibitory orders were lifted against those premises in Chennai and outside the city which were searched by Income tax department since November 9.

Currently, the inquiries are going on in seven premises in Chennai and six premises outside the city, the official said.

He said the lifting of prohibitory orders does not mean that the investigation has concluded. “We have concluded the searches but investigations will continue to go on,” he said.

Interestingly, the lifting of prohibitory orders comes close on the heels of ousted AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran emerging victorious in the RK Nagar constituency bypoll.

“The prohibitory orders will be lifted stage by stage against those premises, where in searches were conducted,” the official said. 

Prohibitory Orders are imposed where in it is not practicable to seize any books of account or other documents, money, bullion, jewellery or other articles or things. The order is served on the person in possession of the valuables or documents and is directed not to part part otherwise deal with it.

The lifting of prohibitory order means that the search on premises against the relatives and TTV Dhinakaran and Sasikala have concluded.

The searches against the premises belonging to aides and relatives of TTV Dhinakaran and Sasikala,  had revealed the initial concealment of Rs 1,430 crore worth of taxes as well as vital clues pertaining to shell companies linked to jailed AIADMK leader Sasikala, her close relatives and aides from her chambers in Poes Garden.

Income Tax sources had claimed that they have got the original documents pertaining to the shell companies after searching the four chambers in the Poes garden used by Sasikala.

The official refused to give details on how many premises the prohibitory orders were clamped or how much worth of tax was evaded “The investigations are still on,” he said.