I-T dept not biased: Pon Radhakrishnan

Chennai: Defending the I-T raids on people close to V.K. Sasikala family, Union Minister of State for Finance, Pon Radhakrishnan, on Sunday, dismissed “political vendetta” charges levelled by Opposition parties and said searches have been conducted on companies owned by BJP leaders as well.

“The income tax department is an autonomous body. We cannot question them if they take any action against any person. I-T raids are taking place in other states. There is no truth in the allegation that the Income Tax Department is biased”, Radhakrishnan told reporters at Tiruchy. He was responding to questions on Opposition charges that Sasikala and her family are being targeted due to “political vendetta” and that the Income Tax department is being “misused” by the BJP government. Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan had also rejected charges of political vendetta, saying the I-T department had acted only on inputs received.

Sasikala’s nephew and deposed AIADMK leader Dhinakaran has alleged a conspiracy behind the raids to oust him and his aunt from politics. On the GST rate cuts, he said it would benefit the people, especially the poor and traders and industrialists would realise advantages of the new tax regime. “We cannot fix a time frame to eradicate black money. It will certainly happen, but will take time,” he said.