The IT Department carried out simultaneous searches at several places in Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode and Namakkal linked to real estate companies, pumpset manufacturers, and construction companies based out of Coimbatore and Erode, on Tuesday.
The searches were held on 10 premises at Aminjikarai, Anna Nagar, Egmore, and Kilpauk in Chennai, while in Coimbatore the searches were held at seven places. Armed paramilitary personnel stood guard at entry and exit points of those premises.
Sources in the I-T department said the searches were conducted to detect suspected tax evasion.
In Coimbatore, one of the teams visited the residence of Real Value Land Promoters at Pattanam, belonging to a DMK functionary named Ramanathan.
Another team of I-T officials conducted searches at the residence of Ramanathan’s son Sornakarthik at Ruby Garden in Sulur, and the staff quarters of the Real Value Land Promoters at Ramalingam Nagar at Naickenpalayam.
Two more teams visited the residences of Sadasivam and Balasubramaniam, both managing directors of Green Field Housing India Private Limited, at Mohan Nagar and Iyappa Nagar respectively on Kalapatti Road.
Another team conducted searches at the residence of Vignesh, president of the Southern India Engineering Manufacturers Association (SIEMA), on Dr Balasundaram Road in Coimbatore city. The house of one Saravanan associated with Suguna Pumps at Puliyakulam was also searched.
In Namakkal, the house of V Sathyamoorthy, 60, a civil contractor based in Namakkal town, and a few more of his properties were searched.
The contractor has been constructing numerous buildings for the state government ‘s PWD, Tamil Nadu housing and urban development, and TWAD. The I-T officials seized documents, accounting books, computer, and laptops from the house.
Similarly, the I-T officials conducted searches at four places belonging to CMK Projects Private Limited in Kanjikoil, and PV Infra Projects in Periyar Nagar in the city. The simultaneous searches had created a flutter in those places.