Tamil Nadu Congress chief alleges I-T department ‘unlawfully confined’ him under pretext of ‘search’

The Congress’ Tamil Nadu unit chief K Selvaperunthagai alleged on Monday that officials from the Income Tax department had “unlawfully confined” him within the Sriperumbudur Assembly constituency under the “pretext of a search”.

Selvaperunthagai further alleged that the search, which coincided with party leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Tamil Nadu in the run-up to the Assembly elections, was a “calculated attempt to obstruct democratic functioning and weaken the activities of the opposition”.

The case in connection with which the searches were conducted was not immediately clear. The Income Tax department searched Selvaperunthagai’s home in Sriperumbudur, the constituency he represents in the Assembly, according to PTI.

Voting for the Assembly polls in the state will be held in a single phase on April 23, with results scheduled to be declared on May 4.

The Congress alleged that the department’s action was “not routine”, but was a “blatant misuse of central agencies by the Bharatiya Janata Party to intimidate and obstruct Opposition leaders at a crucial moment”.

The search had prevented the MLA from carrying out his political duties ahead of the polls, the party further alleged.

“Such actions strike at the very heart of democracy,” stated the Congress. “Silencing dissent and targeting political opponents through state machinery is unacceptable.”

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