Income Tax Dept. freezes TN Health Minister's assets

Pudukottai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Aug. 02 (ANI): State Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar's 100-acre land and a stone quarry have been frozen by the sub-registrar in Pudukottai district on Wednesday, following the order of the Income Tax (I-T) department. The assets in Thiruvengaivasal (native village in Pudukottai district) belong to the minister and his family members. Interestingly, sub-registrar Pudukottai, Sasikala was transferred to Virudunagar district after freezing the property Vijayabaskar and his family. On May 17, the I-T department conducted raids at Vijayabaskar's residence in Pudukkottai. On May 3rd, the IT department had issued summons to Vijayabaskar's wife. Earlier in May, several income tax officials raided Vijayabaskar's Greenways Road residence and other locations in Pudukkottai and Trichy. The I-T officials also raided several premises belonging to the minister and his relatives in Chennai and other districts owing to allegations of involvement in cash distribution to voters in R.K. Nagar constituency where a by-election was held on April 12. In his defense, Vijayabaskar said the I-T Department was harassing him despite his full cooperation. During the same time, I-T conducted raids at 23 different locations across the state. As per preliminary reports, raids were conducted as they were not paying their income tax regularly. (ANI)