DVAC raids 38 TN govt offices, seize graft money

Chennai, Oct 1 (IANS) The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) have conducted raids at 38 government offices across the state. The raids were conducted after tip-offs and the agency seized Rs 26,99,335 as cash from the various offices.

The DVAC in a press statement informed that the raids were conducted on Thursday.

The raids were held at Sub Registrar offices in Mylapore, Anna Nagar, Villivakkam, Ambattur and Thiruvanmiyur, and several other offices in many parts of the state. The Regional transport office in Ambattur and several other districts were also raided. Unaccounted money and several documents pertaining to corruption were seized.

The agency, according to the information available, will be continuing the raids in the days to come. Sources in the agency said many documents seized from these premises have revealed unaccounted cash deposits and properties at various places of the state.

According to sources in the agency, there would be more raids based on the tip-offs received during the Thursday raids.

It may be noted that the DVAC has conducted raids in the premises of former ministers in the previous AIADMK government -- M.R. Vijayabhaskar, S.P. Velumani, and K.C. Veeramani -- soon after the DMK government led by M.K. Stalin came to power.

Sources said that the DVAC raids on Thursday were on the basis of information received during the early raids at the premises of former ministers. The agency was following up on the leads received during Thursday's raids to further probe into the money being parked, sources added.