Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Chennai, Nov 19 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday launched massive searches at over 10 locations across Chennai as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged illegal money transactions.
The coordinated operation, which began early in the morning, sent the entire city into a tizzy as ED teams entered several residential and commercial areas simultaneously.
According to sources, ED officials arrived in a convoy and launched simultaneous raids in Saidapet, Kotturpuram, KK Nagar, MGR Nagar, Sowkarpet, Kilpauk, Kodambakkam and parts of Ambattur.
The sudden movement of enforcement teams in these areas created huge curiosity among the people, with residents seeing officials entering several premises to conduct verification and seizure.
The most prominent search of the day took place at Chaitanya Apartment Complex in Kilpauk, where officials inspected the residence of iron trader Nirmal Kumar.
Another major crackdown was conducted at Kalaichelvan’s Saidapet house in Srinagar Colony, while ED teams also raided Prakash’s apartment in Thiruvenkada Nagar, Ambattur.
Documents, digital storage devices and financial records at these locations were reportedly examined as part of the investigation.
Preliminary information suggests that the latest round of searches was launched following complaints about large-scale illegal financial transactions and suspicious hawala routes within the city.
Officials said details of seizures, arrests or further action would be disclosed only after the conclusion of the day-long inspection process.
Wednesday’s operation joins a series of high-profile ED raids conducted in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu last year.
The agency had earlier searched the premises of several political leaders and their associates, including those from both the ruling and opposition camps, in connection with money laundering and disproportionate assets cases.
Business groups involved in real estate, construction, gold and diamond trading, textiles and sand mining have also faced the ED probe in recent months, with large amounts of unaccounted cash and important documents recovered from some operations.
In Chennai, notable previous raids included searches of the premises of a former minister’s associates in Teynampet, inspections at a major textile group in Paris and action against several real estate firms in south Chennai.
Similar operations were conducted in Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Tiruppur and Karur as part of the agency’s massive crackdown on financial irregularities across the state.
With the latest searches spread across more than 10 locations, the swift action of the ED has once again sparked discussion in political and business circles.
Officials indicated that more details on the ongoing investigation will be revealed once the examination of the seized materials is complete.
–IANS
all/rad