ED conducts searches at DMK MP Kathir Anand’s house in Vellore

Security personnel guard the residence of DMK MP D.M. Kathir Anand, where the officials from the Enforcement Directorate were carrying out searches at Gandhi Nagar, Katpadi, Vellore district of Tamil Nadu on Friday, January 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit: C. Venkatachalapathy

Sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are conducting searches in at least five places, including an engineering college and the house of DMK MP D.M. Kathir Anand, in Vellore on Friday (January 3, 2025).

Sources said that the searches began around 7.30 a.m. in these locations, primarily in Katpadi at the residence of Mr. Anand and his father Mr. Duraimurugan, who is Water Resources Minister and the general secretary of the ruling DMK.

ED searches underway at Kingston Engineering College at Christianpet
| Photo Credit:
C. Venkatachalapathy

Some of the other locations where raids are underway include Kingston Engineering College at Christianpet, a village on the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border near Katpadi, another house of Mr. Anand in Gandhi Nagar in Katpadi, and the house of DMK functionary ‘Pooncholai’ Srinivasan, who is the organiser of the Vellore District Sports Development Wing of the DMK, in Pallikuppam village near Katpadi. Searches are also being conducted at the houses and a godown of Srinivasan’s relative near Katpadi. Armed police personnel from CRPF have been deployed at these places to prevent any untoward incidents.

Sources said that the Friday’s searches were related to a case filed against Mr. Anand by the Income Tax (I-T) department on the cash-for-votes charge during 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Searches being carried out at the residence of DMK functionary ‘Pooncholai’ Srinivasan in Pallikuppam, on Friday 
| Photo Credit:
C. Venkatachalapathy

‘Not aware about details’: Duraimurugan

Mr. Duraimurugan said he was not aware about the details of officials conducting searches in Vellore. Speaking to reporters in Chennai, he said there was no one in the house except domestic workers.

A file picture of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Lok Sabha MP D.M. Kathir Anand.
| Photo Credit:
C. Venkatachalapathy

“I know only as many details as you all know. The details of which department the officials [conducting the search] belong to are not clear,” Mr. Duraimurugan said.

The case relates to the officials of the Income Tax, who conducted raids on the houses of DMK leader ‘Pooncholai’ Srinivasan and his cousin Damodharan, who were said to be close associates of the Vellore MP, in April 2019. It led to the seizure of ₹10.48 crore from Mr. Damodharan’s place. The money was reportedly meant for distribution to voters, it had been charged. 

Subsequently, the then election accounts officer registered a case against all three of them with the Katpadi police. Trial of the case is being held at Judicial Magistrate Court-I at the Combined Court Complex in Vellore.