Former DMK minister's residence raided in Tamil Nadu

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The homes of former DMK minister Thangam Thenarasu and his relatives were raided across several places in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday for allegedly accumulating assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, said the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).

In a statement issued here, the DVAC said: "On specific information that Thangam Thenarasu, while serving as the Minister for School Education in the Government of Tamil Nadu from 2006 to 2011, acquired properties in his name and in the name of his family members to the tune of several lakhs. In this connection, a preliminary enquiry was conducted by the DVAC."

According to the DVAC, during the preliminary enquiry, a prima facie case has been made out that the former minister during his tenure had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs.82,97,535 in his name and in the name of his family members during May 2006 to March 2010.

The DVAC has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the Thenarasu.

Besides Chennai, DVAC officials conducted raids on the residences of Thenarasu and that of his relatives in Virudhunagar, Madurai and Dindigul.

Since the AIADMK came to power in May 2011, DVAC has raided the residences of several former DMK ministers, including D. Duraimurugan, K.N. Nehru, T.M. Anbarasan, K. Ponmudi, N. Suresh Rajan, Pongalur N. Palanisamy, M.R.K. Panneerselvam and K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, K.R.Periakaruppan, A.Tamilarasi and N.K.K.P.Raja.