COIMBATORE: Continuing its crackdown on erstwhile DMK ministers, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) on Tuesday simultaneously raided seven residential and business premises of former Rural Industries Minister Pongalur N Palanisamy and his confidantes in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Chennai.Palanisamy, is the first DMK heavyweight in the Western districts to face a Vigilance raid in the ongoing crackdown against those suspected to have amassed wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income. The raids come four days after sleuths had landed at the doorsteps of another former DMK minister Duraimurugan, who had held the Public Works and Law portfolios.While Palanisamy is out on bail in an alleged land grab case, his son and ex-councillor Pynthamil Pari was arrested a couple of months ago in a criminal case.A press release said that the raids were conducted after DVAC found “prima-facie case” of disproportionate assets accumulation during Palanisamy’s tenure as minister between June 2006 and March last year. The Coimbatore unit of the DVAC had registered a case against Palanisamy under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on Monday. The day-long raids began at 7 am, including at the DMK leader’s bungalow at the posh Krishna Colony in Singanallur here. Palanisamy, who was present in the house when the officials arrived to conduct the raid, told reporters that the case against him was politically motivated.“The raids are being conducted at the time of MP Kanimozhi’s release on bail. It only clearly proves the sadistic attitude of the rulers who want to deter us from celebrating Kanimozhi’s release. But this will not stop us,” he told reporters.Besides Palanisamy’s residence, offices of three private companies owned by him and his family — Maris Cements Limited, The Nilgiris Cements and Vijaya Minerals — and the Vijayalakshmi Palanisamy Charitable Trust, were raided.The other premises that came under scanner of the anti-corruption agency are the office of Kalaignar Karunanidhi Institute of Technology and a farmhouse owned by his brother P Arjunan at Erakkampatty at Dharapuram in Tirupur district. Residences of three of Palanisamy’s close confidantes — ‘Meenkadai’ Shiva of Uppilipalayam, Gayathri Balan of Ondipudur and M Karthik at Virugambakkam in Chennai — were also searched. The DVAC had formed seven teams each headed by a deputy superintendent of police to conducted the searches.“Palanisamy and his family members were very cooperative during the raids. We have seized a large number of documents from the house. Only after a detailed scrutiny of the documents can we ascertain anything,” said an officer.
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