CHIDAMBARAM: Former Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare M R K Paneerselvam was taken by surprise when he had over two dozen early morning visitors at his house on Tuesday, a few hours after he returned from campaigning for the Tiruchy West byelections and the local body polls.Those who called on the former minister at his native Muttam village near Kattumannarkudi as early as 6 am were none other than a 15-member raid team from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Courruption (DVAC).While the raid was on, Paneerselvam, who was standing inside the compound, told reporters that leaders of DMK were being targeted by the government with a view to pulling him out of the campaign for the Tiruchy West by-elections and also the local body polls.“I reached home at the midnight after finishing my campaign in Tiruchy. Within a few hours, the DVAC team arrived and told me that they were going to conduct a raid.” Rejecting charge that his family has amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income, Paneerselvam said his family had enough wealth since his grandfather’s time.The DVAC officials later called him inside the house and he remained there till the raid ended at 2 pm. The raid team was led by DSP R Ambigapathy and ADSP Shanmugapriya.As news about the raid spread, nearly 500 DMK cadre and office bearers from Cuddalore, Panruti, Chidambaram, Vadalur and Virudhachalam swarmed Muttam, about eight kilometres from Kattumannarkudi. They waited around the former minister’s house till the raid was over and the half a km stretch of the road leading to the village had cars parks on both sides.Raids were simultaneously conducted at MRK Arts and Science College, Sandhravadhanam Teacher Training Institute and MRK Nursing College at Pazanchanallur, MRK Engineering College and Sandhravadhanam textile store at Kattumannarkudi.Raids were also conducted in the houses of Paneerselvam’s elder sister R Mangayarkarasi, who is the Vice-chairman of Chidambaram Municipality and younger sister K Manimekalai at Chidambaram. Mangayarkarasi’s son Senthilkumar is the DMK’s Town Secretary.At Vadalur, raid was carried out at his close aide and Kurinjipadi Union secretary V Sivakumar’s residence.At Srimushnam, Labour Progressive Union of DMK’s Cuddalore District Secretary Thanga Anandhan’s house was also searched. After the raid, DSP Ambigapathy told reporters that several “important documents” have been seized from his house.
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