I-T searches properties of private varsity

I-T searches properties of private varsity

Pan-TN Raids Initiated Over Tax Evasion

Mayilvaganan.V@timesgroup.com

21.01.2021

Income tax department sleuths descended on several properties linked to a private university and a missionary institute across Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Sources said searches were conducted in 28 places in Coimbatore and Chennai belonging to Karunya University and Jesus Calls, a missionary institution. The simultaneous searches were conducted by 300 personnel split into several teams drawn from the I-T department in Chennai, Trichy, Madurai Coimbatore and Kerala.

In Coimbatore, searches were conducted at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences run by the university, Karunya Christian School’s Avinashi Road campus as well as residences of some of the senior officials of the varsity and Jesus Calls ministry.

Though I-T department officials were not available for comments, sources said the searches were due to alleged tax evasion. Searches were on at the time of going to the press.

The searches shocked the students and faculty members of Karunya University, located on the outskirts of the city, on Siruvani Road. Karunya Institute of Technology was established as an engineering college in 1986, while Jesus Calls ministry was founded in 1962.

It is the third such raid in the district in the past two months. In November, I-T officials had raided three places belonging to DMK’s Coimbatore west district in-charge R Krishnan in Kalapatti. It was also part of a state-wide raid related to an educational institution. It was reported that the raid was carried out at Krishnan’s house after the sleuths found a land transaction between him and the chairman of an educational institution in Erode.