I-T knocks Kollywood biggies doors
CHENNAI: Income Tax (I-T) sleuths on Thursday rattled Kollywood biggies by carrying out simultaneous raids at 30 locations, targeting offices and residences of top film producers, including A M Rathnam, who bankrolled the big budget Ajit-starrer Aarambam, following a tip off that they were pumping in unaccounted cash into making movies.
The raids, which began in the morning lasted till late in the evening, were carried out by the investigation wing of the I-T department after a complaint received in this regard.
A 30-member team, led by Additional Director of Income Tax Murali Mohan, was engaged in the searches. In the city, the raids were conducted at 23 locations and in six more locations in other districts, including Salem and Coimbatore.
The officials reportedly seized incriminating documents during the raids, sources said. When contacted, they refused to divulge details regarding the seizure and said they were in the process of collating information from all the teams, adding they will issue a handout on Friday afternoon.
The premises of Rathnam at Velalan Street in Valasaravakkam were subjected to searches by two teams simultaneously. The producer had returned to film production under the banner of Sri Sathya Sai Movies after a 5-year hiatus since he stopped making movies under his old banner Sri Surya Movies.
In his heydays, he had on his payroll Kamal Haasan and other top heroes. Rathnam was the producer of Kamal-starrer Indian. Later, he came up with several box office hits, including Kushi, Run, Boys, Enakku 20 Unakku 18, Dhool, Ghilli and 7G Rainbow Colony. The producer's office at Hyderabad was also raided.
Comedian Santhanam, who recently produced Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya, co-starring 'Powerstar' Srinivasan, also came under the scanner in the raids.
The office and residence of Gnanavel Raja of 'Studio Green' in T Nagar was also raided. Studio Green had produced Paruthiveeran, besides Siruthai, Naan Mahan Alla, Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, and Singam, of which three featured Karthi in the lead role and the rest had his brother Surya as the hero.
The house and office of R B Choudary, who runs 'Super Good Films', at T Nagar were also searched. The firm had produced over 60 films and Choudary's sons, actors Jiiva and Jithan Ramesh, had starred in some of them.
News Posted: 1 November, 2013
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