(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Income tax raid at the Poes Garden residence of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday night has created a major controversy with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders calling it 'unfortunate and regretful while Chief Minister K Palaniswami blamed V K Sasikala and her family for the action.
The chief minister distanced his government from the raid and said it was the result of 'several mistakes by Sasikala, a close aide of Jayalalithaa, and several of her family members that resulted in the 'temple being desecrated.
Palaniswami told reporters that the IT raid in Jayalalithaa's house was a continuation of the searches taking place for the last few days in the residences and properties of Sasikala and her family members in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere.
'The Tamil Nadu government is in no way connected with the raids, which are being done by the income tax department which comes under the central government. It pains us that there has been a raid at Jayalalithaa's house which we consider as a temple and the state government was in the process of converting it into a memorial, he said.
He also dismissed Sasikala's nephew T T V Dinakaran, asking 'who is he?
'He has nothing to do with the AIADMK. We are the ones in the party for over 40 years and have made sacrifices for it, Palaniswami said when asked about Dinakaran's charge that it was the chief minister and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam who were responsible for the raid at 'Veda Nilayam, where the late chief minister lived.
Several other AIADMK leaders also said it was painful that Jayalalithaa's house was the target of an IT raid but some of the ministers justified the action saying it was due to Sasikala's actions.
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said it was very painful that the raid took place but blamed Sasikala and her family for that. Forests Minister Dindugal Srinivasan said it was a routine action of the income tax department.
However, senior leaders V Maitreyan and K P Munuswamy said whatever may be the reason it was painful and not acceptable.
Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai said Jayalalithaa's residence was a 'sacred place and nothing should be done to bring disrepute to it.
Dinakaran, who heads a faction of the AIADMK opposed to Palaniswami and Panneerselvam called the raid a conspiracy to drive him and Sasikala out of politics. He accused the chief minister and deputy chief minister of being responsible for the raid.
Another AIADMK leader Apsara Reddy said the opposition was insecure of the growing popularity of Dinakaran and jailed Sasikala.
'It's absolutely disgraceful that a state administration is cracking down a temple for all our cadres that is Jayalalithaa's home. Without any summons, without any intimation they barged in during such odd hours in the house is very suspect. They want to crack down the political opponents because they are insecure of the growing popularity of Dinakaran and Sasikala. We will oppose his. Even if they arrest all our cadres then it is the violation of human rights. Such political thugs and political goons should be sent home, she said.
Jaya TV CEO Vivek Jayaraman said: 'We are hurt today because of these I-T raids. This is the place where Jaya lived. This is a temple. They have taken away the letters people have written Jaya.
Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar, claimed the 'illegal raid was a part of Sasikala's conspiracy.
'The IT did not inform us about the raids. They broke into our property. It's illegal. I am going to take legal action against them. I am the rightful heir of Jayalalithaa. It's conspiracy by Sasikala and family, Jayakumar said.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Stalin waded into the controversy by seeking details about the raids at Jayalalithaa's house and in various other places connected with Sasikala and her family. He also wondered what had happened to the raids at former chief secretary Rammohan Rao, contractor Sekar Reddy and some ministers earlier this year.
On Friday night, IT officials recovered a laptop, a desktop and four pen drives from two rooms used by Sasikala at Jayalalithaa's residence, said a senior official.
'We received inputs that some important electronic storage devices are going to be clandestinely removed from two rooms used by Sasikala in Veda Nilayam, the IT official said.
According to him, it was a 'limited mission.
'We are not searching the entire premises, he said.
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