They also raided the residence of Vetri Duraisamy, son of Chennai mayor Saidai S Duraisamy, in Tambaram and the premises of Kirthilal Jewellers and Meenakshi Mission Hospital.
“Several teams of officials from the I-T investigation department raided the 40 premises in Chennai and other places on specific information on assets above their known sources of income. The raids are continuing,” a senior income tax official told TOI.
Viswanathan’s close associate C P Anbunathan was in the news during assembly election in May when IT department raided his residence in Karur and seized cash as well as counting machines. The income tax department had been keeping a close watch on Natham since then, said I-T sources.
Meanwhile, chief minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Monday removed Viswanathan from the post of party’s organising secretary.
“Viswanathan has also been removed from the post of party spokesperson,” Jayalalithaa said in a brief statement, without detailing the charges.
Viswanathan lost the assembly polls in May in Athoor constituency. However, the party high command made him organising secretary and party spokesperson in June.
I-T raids at Kirthilal Jewellers in Chennai (TOI pic by Ramesh Shanker)