I-T raids on Jaya TV UPDATES | It's a plot to bar Sasikala from politics, claims TTV Dhinakaran; documents seized from old channel office

By Online Desk  |   Published: 09th November 2017 07:59 AM  |  

Jaya TV managing director and chief executive officer Vivek Jayaraman is the nephew of VK Sasikala. (Facebook Photo | Vivek Jayaraman)

CHENNAI: Income Tax officials today at 6 am raided the office of Tamil channel Jaya TV here, which is perceived to be politically disposed in favour of deposed AIADMK leaders V K Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, over allegations of tax evasion and alleged money laundering via newly-floated shell companies.

Simultaneous raids began at several other places including the office of Dr Namadhu MGR newspaper, the mouthpiece of the AIADMK party and Jaya TV MD and Sasikala's nephew Vivek Jayaraman's residence here in the city.

I-T sources said the raids are being conducted in almost 200 places connected to Sasikala and her extended family spread across various states and cities, including Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad, Delhi and other places.

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Income tax sources told agencies that the search is in connection with unexplained routing of cash post-demonetisation through shell companies connected with them as well as aspects like dubious investments, fund flow and fudging of accounts. The searches at the TV channel's accounts branch here is part of 'Operation Clean Money', sources told PTI.

Here are all the latest updates: 

• BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan said, "Why this hue and cry over these raids? If they are comfortable that the sources of their assets, they can show their accounts and settle the issue. The charge that I-T department is being used to suppress them is meaningless because BJP does not think that you (TTV Dhinakaran) is not a challenge to us politically. To say that IT raids are vindictive action just because the raids are happening in the places of politicians is a wrong perception."
• "Since many suspicions are raised about the I-T raids, the department is duty bound to clarify the real picture to the people," said TMC founder GK Vasan.
• VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said, "Today’s I-T raids are perceived by the people as politically motivated; Using I-T raids as a tool intimidate those who oppose the ruling party will bring down the image of the institution called I-T Department." VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan.
• The deputy coordinator of the AIADMK faction led by EPS-OPS, R Vaithilingam said, "Such raids are not new. Already, many times, such raids have taken place."
• "If those being raided by IT department keep their accounts clean, there is no need to worry.  The AIADMK has no connection with these raids," said Anwar Razza, MP, a supporter of AIADMK EPS-OPS faction.
• Tamil Nadu's opposition leader MK Stalin questions why so many frequent I-T raids were being conducted in Tamil Nadu. " The Union Minister under whom Income Tax department falls and authorities of the department must explain the reason for frequent I-T raids in Tamil Nadu," said DMK working president, Stalin. He wants to officials to make public the action taken on earlier I-T raids in the state.
• "A total of 187 places are being raided. 10 groups who were owning shell companies are identified. They have made large deposits in banks. Raids were conducted in Manargudi also and almost all premises belonging to associates of Diwakaran were raided," said a top I-T official to The New Indian Express.
• Poes Garden residence of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa was not raided. But a place close to it, which earlier housed JJ TV is raided. It is believed to contain some documents. "We have seized huge documents during the raids today," an IT official told Express. 
• IT sources also confirmed that no raids happened at TTV Dhinakaran's house. 
• House of Poongundran, who was functioning as a personal secretary to former chief minister J Jayalalithaa was also raided by IT officials. His house is located at Nehru Nagar Third Street at Adyar in Chennai. 

• "A total of 187 places are being raided. 10 groups who were owning shell companies are identified. They have made large deposits in banks. Raids were conducted in Mannargudi also and almost all premises belonging to associates of Diwakaran were raided," said a top IT official to Express.
• A six member IT officials conducting raids at residences of TNPSC member Balusamy, advocate Senthil, Pandiyan and a travels agency owner Balasubramaniam in Namakkal town from morning 10 am.

• Thanga Thamizhselvan, supporter of TTV Dhinakaran and one of the 18 MLAs disqualified says "Why IT failed to raid in the premises of those names found in the diaries of Sekar Reddy and Anbunathan ? Why single out VK Sasikala and TTV relatives?" 
• Vettrivel, one of the disqualified MLA and a strong supporter of Dhinakaran, "It is an attempt to attach Jaya Tv and other properties." 

• Six IT officials including three from Puducherry are at the TTV Dhinakaran's farmhouse in Bhoomiyarpalayam in Villupuram district. Since AIADMK party men blocked the path by parking cars, a police team came to the spot and cleared the way. The IT officials walked for about 500 metres to reach the place. 

• "The raids are a plot to prevent Sasikala to continue in politics. We will face this and overcome this," said TTV Dhinakaran, the sidelined leader of TN's ruling AIADMK party at a press conference. He denied any raid in his house so far. He says that only a few officials came to his residence. 

People are watching everything, they understand what is going on. If the Centre thinks they can destroy us by conducting such raids, they are day-dreaming: TTV Dhinakaran pic.twitter.com/oALm1R4PBq

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People are watching everything, they understand what is going on. If the Centre thinks they can destroy us by conducting such raids, they are day-dreaming: TTV Dhinakaran

11:12 AM - Nov 9, 2017

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• He said the IT department will look at routing of funds within India and there are other agencies that look at routing of funds outside India.
• Ten groups of IT officials were involved in "the search exercise taking place across Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi and other places", an IT official told IANS preferring anonymity.

• I-T raids at seven places in Coimbatore including the house of Armugasamy, a sand businessman based in Coimbatore.

• I-T raid in the premises of  Dhinakaran's house and an arts college located in Sundarakkottai near Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district.
• Raid in six places at Mannargudi, where most of Sasikala's family hails from. 
• Since morning, police personnel have been deployed in front of Dinakaran's farmhouse at Bhoomiyarpalayam near Auroville in Villupuram district. Around 9.15 am I-T people entered the premises to conduct the raids.
•  I-T raids at five places in Thanjavur including the house of M Natarajan, T V Mahadevan (deceased), V K Sundaravadanam.
•  I-T raid at Nerkuppai near Manamelkudi in the house of one EA Karthikeyan, former Manamelkudi Union chairman and district secretary of AIADMK (TTV Group) and brother of Aranthangi MLA Rathinasababathi.
• A team of Income Tax officials from Chennai raided AIADMK Karnataka state secretary V Pugazhendhi's house in Bengaluru on Thursday morning. [READ FULL REPORT]
• The raids, which began at 6 am today at the channel's office in Ekkatthuthangal, are still on. 
• Started by former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the channel is now controlled by jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala's family, led by her nephew Vivek Jayaraman. 
• Advocate Kasinathabharathi, who is affiliated to AIADMK alleged that the Centre was acting against those who were politically against it. “We will face these raids legally. We will not be cowed down by these raids,” he added.

Here is the list of places being raided:

1) Jaya TV office, Ekkattuthangal 

2) TTV Dhinakaran's house, Adyar

3) Jaya TV MD Vivek Jayaraman (nephew of Sasikala) residence, Mahalingapuram 

4) Jaya TV's old office, next to Jayalalithaa’s residence in Poes Garden

5) Jaya TV CEO Jayaraman's sister Krishnapriya's house in T Nagar. She is the daughter of Ilavarasi, where VK Sasikala stayed for five days during her parole.

6) Jazz Cinemas office, Ekkattuthangal and also inside Phoenix Mall, Velachery

7) Residence of M Natarajan in Thanjavur, husband of Sasikala

8) Sengamalathaayar college, Thanjavur owned by Divakaran, Sasikala’s brother

9) TTV Dhinakaran’s house at Mannargudi

10) State secretary of the AIADMK in Karnataka, V Pugazhendhi's residence, Bengaluru 

11) Dhivaharan residence, Mannargudi 

12) Dhivaharan's assistant's Vinayagam's residence, Mannargudi 

13) Dhivaharan friends Sujay and Selvam residences, Mannargudi 

14) Dr Namadhu MGR office, Ekkattuthangal 

15) Lawyer Velukarthikeyan residence, Thanjavur 

16) Dhivarahan's friend Vaduvur Agri Rajendran's residence, Mannargudi 

17) Sundaravadanam and late TV Mahadevan residences, Thanjavur

18) house of S Kamaraj, district head of TTV faction of AIADMK near Aranthangi, 

19) Residence of Senthil, advocate for Sasikala, at Namakkal

20) The house of Dr Venkatesh, another close relative of Sasikala, in Thanjavur

21) Sasikala's relative Kalia Perumal's house in Tiruchy

22) Premises of Midas Distilleries

23) Residence of Poongundran, who was functioning like personal secretary to former chief minister J Jayalalithaa 

I-T raids at Sasikala's relative Kalia Perumal's house in Tiruchy. |  (Express Photo | M K Ashok Kumar)

(With inputs from Express News Service and agencies)

Chennai: All local bodies to issue birth certificates online

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | RUDHRAN BARAASU
PublishedNov 9, 2017, 6:29 am IST

Come November 14, the public can easily download birth certificate from anywhere through the local body server.

According to a source privy to the development, the CMA has started training its staff to issue birth and death certificates in local bodies.

Chennai: Good news for rural public and to the parents awaiting their children’s birth certificate. Come November 14, the public can easily download birth certificate from anywhere through the local body server.

“Commissionerate of municipal administration (CMA), with the guidance of directorate of public health (DPH), is all set to roll out dedicated online portal under central civil registration system, which is now a privilege of city residents,” said a confidential state official source. At present, the facility is provided only in metro cities and soon all the municipal and village panchayats will start issuing birth and death certificates online, he explained.

According to a source privy to the development, the CMA has started training its staff to issue birth and death certificates in local bodies. If everything corresponds to the plan, the CMA is all set to roll out the new scheme this week, most probably by November 14.

“By using this service, the public can download certificates. No need to visit local body offices, or grease the palms of civic staff running from pillar to post,” added the source.

“According to the central government direction, all states ought to implement civil registration system. Once the service rolled out, the public can download certificates from www.tnurbanepay.tn.gov.in.” said a sanitary inspector with Chennai Corporation.

Presently, the CMA website is providing services related to issuance of building plan approval, road cut permission, professional tax assessment and trade licenses.

Compulsory singing of Vande Mataram: Madras HC reverses its order, says it’s up to TN govt to take a decision

Sureshkumar| TNN | Updated: Nov 9, 2017, 19:31 IST


HIGHLIGHTS

A single judge of the high court had made singing of Vande Mataram compulsory in schools and other establishments in TN

Now,a division bench of justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and R M T Teekaaa Raman has reversed the order.

The division bench has said it is up to the state govt to take a decision on the matter

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CHENNAI: Three months after a single judge of the Madras high court made singing of Vande Mataram compulsory in schools, government offices, private entities and industries in Tamil Nadu, a division bench of the court has modified the order and said it is up to the state to take a decision on the issue.

"As regards the order of the single judge, which mention about singing of Vande Mataram compulsorily in educational institutions, government offices and private companies, we are of the view that since it is a policy decision to be taken by the state, in modification of the order, we leave it to the discretion of the government to take decision on the matter," a division bench of justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and R M T Teekaaa Raman said.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by K Veeramani, who failed to clear the written test for the post of teacher (teacher eligibility test or TET) as he answered that Vande Mataram was written in Bengali.

After concluding that the song was originally written in Bengali and later translated into Sanskrit, Justice M V Muralidharan directed the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) to award one mark to the petitioner and to provide suitable appointment to him.

Assailing the order, TRB preferred an appeal. Allowing the appeal partially, the division bench said, "We are of the opinion that the manner in which the marks were awarded to the candidates, who participated in the TET and the selection process fall under the administrative domain of the government. It is well settled that the courts should not ordinarily interfere in the policy decision of the government, unless there is clear violation of some constitutional provision or the statute. We find no such violation in the case at hand."

"We leave it open to the board to deal with the case of the petitioner, after awarding one mark, on merits and in accordance with law. Consequently, the single order is set aside, insofar as it relates to directing the TRB to accommodate the petitioner in any suitable vacancy," the court said.

Singapore woman dies after weight-loss surgery in Chennai hospital

A Selvaraj| TNN | Nov 10, 2017, 06:42 IST




CHENNAI: A 35-year-old Singapore national died at a city hospital early on Thursday, hours after undergoing a liposuction surgery .

Police said Alicia Medanin Khan, who weighed 85kg, had been admitted to S R Multi Specialty Hospital in Arumbakkam on Wednesday morning. She had been continuo usly gaining weight and wanted to be fitter. She was shifted to the post-surgery intensive care unit around 5.30pm on Wednesday .

According to Khan's hus band Vijayakumar, a businessman in Singapore, doctors didn't allow him to meet his wife after the surgery as she had suffered complications. Doctors said she needed to be monitored for 24 hours before the surgery could be declared a success. At 1.30am on Thursday , Vijayakumar was informed that his wife had died of a sudden cardiac arrest. Vijayakumar said that though he demanded in writing details of his wife's health, doctors refused. The hospital then sent her body for autopsy .

Vijayakumar lodged a po lice complaint against the doctors and the hospital management for not disclosing his wife's health before and after surgery , alleging that his wife had died of medical negligence.

The Aminjikarai police have registered a case of unnatural death for now. "We will alter the case and include the doctors and hospital management if the autopsy report confirms death due to medical negligence," said an investigating officer.

Police sent the viscera for forensic examination to confirm if there was any complication. The death certificate issued by the hospital specifies the cause of death to be cardiac arrest. The hospital authorities said, "We completed the surgery at 5.30pm on Wednesday and the woman was shifted to the post-surgery ward under the surveillance of medical officers. After almost six hours she died of cardiac arrest."

Reimburse medical expenses in unapproved hospital too: HC to Tamil Nadu government

TNN | Updated: Nov 10, 2017, 06:25 IST



MADURAI: The state government was bound to reimburse medical expenses incurred by a beneficiary of the new health insurancescheme for pensioners even if he or she undertook treatment in a hospital not approved by the concerned insurance company, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court has ruled.

The division bench of justices M Venugopal and Abdul Quddhose delivered the judgment while disposing of an appeal filed by the state's director of pension against an order of the single judge of the bench on February 27 directing the government to reimburse the medical expenses incurred by B Sarada with 9 % interest.

Justice M Venugopal said that right to health was an integral part of the right to life and the government had a constitutional obligation to provide health welfare facilities. "It can't be brushed aside that the state government is to satisfy the constitutional obligation to bear / refund the expenses incurred by a government servant while in service or after retirement from service, of course, based on the policy of the government. In emergency cases, the treatment that is required will be immediate / forthwith and if one has to comply with the procedure, ultimately 'waiting' in this regard may prove disastrous and fatal," the judge said.

He said that the payment /reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by the government servant concerned or his family was not 'bounty'. It was an obligation of the state government to pay / disburse the amount in question "without harping on either technicalities or hyper technicalities." However, the court reduced the interest to 6 % per annum from 9 % saying that it was slightly on the higher side.

B Sarada of Madurai had spent Rs 1.07 lakh for the surgery of her retired teacher husband on July 22, 2015 at Raksha hospital in Madurai. When she claimed the medical expenses under the New Health Insurance Scheme for pensioners, the district treasury officer rejected it saying that the treatment was in an unapproved hospital. She filed a case before the high court bench against this, on which the single judge passed the order. The state's director of pension had appealed against it.

Special government pleader V R Shanmuganathan argued that the state government had entered into a contract with United India Insurance company for bearing the medical expenses of eligible employees / subscribers of the scheme. However, the insurance company was not arrayed as a necessary party in the writ, which the single judge did not take note of.

From next year, engineering counselling set to go online

TNN | Updated: Nov 10, 2017, 05:26 IST



CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has issued orders for Anna University to conduct online counselling for the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) and Tamil Nadu Common Admissions (TANCA) from the academic year 2018-2019. While the government has been mulling over taking the counselling process online, official orders for the same were issued this week.

In a GO dated November 6, the government issued orders for the varsity to be the nodal agency for conducting the counselling process completely online from the upcoming academic year. It also ordered for the reconstitution of the co-ordination committee for conducting online counselling for admissions to first year B.E./ B.Tech./B.Arch./ M.E./ M.Tech./ M.Arch./ M.Plan from 2018- 2019 onwards, for a period of three years from the date of issue of the order.

The 14-member reconstituted committee has the VC of Anna University as the chairman while V Rhymend Uthariaraj, professor, department of information technology, MIT Campus, Anna University, has been appointed as the new secretary for admissions replacing J Indumathi.

Registrar of Anna University, S Ganesan had earlier written to the higher education minister regarding online counselling for engineering admissions, so as to avoid discomfort to students and parents travelling from various districts to Anna University to attend counselling and to fill up the vacancies in colleges that may arise due to discontinuance of students who opted to join medical /veterinary / agriculture or any other stream.

The GO further states that based on the directions given by the government, action has already been initiated to implement online counselling. Faculty members were asked to design and develop the software that may be required to conduct online counselling.

The other members of the reconstituted committee are principal secretary to government, higher education department, commissioner of technical education, registrar, Anna University, director of government examinations, member secretary of Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, legal officer, Anna University, director (admissions), Anna University, secretary, selection committee, medical education, Kilpauk, registrar, Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University, Vandalur, director of collegiate education, director (E.E.), Anna University, George Washington , director (Knowledge Data Centre), Anna University.

Rajinikanth may announce political entry on birthday

Jayaraj Sivan| TNN | Updated: Nov 10, 2017, 06:01 IST



CHENNAI: After Kamal Haasan, it could be the turn of Rajinikanth to announce his political plunge. Rajini is likely to reveal his political entry on December 12, his birthday, said sources close to the actor.

"Rajini would form a separate party. He will not join any other party, including the BJP," said the source. If the BJP is keen on roping Rajini into its fold, either as its member or an ally, before the Lok Sabha election, Rajini would preserve his energy for the assembly election, which he wants to be a Stalin vs Rajini fight, said the source. Kamal, on the other hand, is working towards building up base from the grassroots level.

"Being spiritual, Rajini cannot be a Leftist. Not being a hardliner, he cannot be a Rightist too. He will be a centrist as that alone will attract all sections of society," said the source, a confidant of the actor. Of late, he has been dabbling in dalit uprising themes in his movies. His last film 'Kabali' had such an undertone and the next 'Kaala' will not be different either.

However, Rajini is unlikely to be involved in caste-centric politics in Tamil Nadu, when he has the advantage of an outsider, said writer Stalin Rajangam. "People like his subaltern style and identity. In movies, Rajini is just playing the roles that his directors give him. Ranjith is a known dalit activist and his movies are bound to have undertones of dalit resurgence. 'Kabali' was a reaction to the 2012 Dharmapuri caste clashes. They do not reflect Rajini's political thoughts or plans," said Rajangam.

Both Kamal and Rajini will compete for the neutral votes of people who look for a change beyond the AIADMK and the DMK. "As on date, the DMK looks all set to wrest power in the state as there is no strong rival. Rajini's entry will change that dynamics," said Rajangam. "Apart from neutral voters, Kamal would try to eat into the anti-Hindu rationalist base, which may give hiccups to the DMK," said analyst M Kasinathan. Rajini's disadvantage is that the minorities would see him as BJP's tool, said Kasinathan.

Rajini has influenced only one election, the 1996 general elections to the Lok Sabha and the assembly, in Tamil Nadu. In 1998, despite Rajini's support, the DMK-TMC front fared poorly in the LS polls. Again in 2004, Rajini's support could not salvage the AIADMK-BJP combine.

On his own, Rajini may not win an election. His success will depend on stitching together a winnable alliance, but that remains a big challenge. With chief ministerial aspirations, he cannot go with the DMK. He may go with the AIADMK and the BJP, but for that both CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy CM O Panneerselvam will have to forgo their aspirations. Rajini would end up carrying the baggage of the present government's public image.