NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, FEB 6
A sum unaccounted cash of over Rs. 77 crore has been seized by the Income Tax department from various locations in Chennai and Madurai, belonging to financer-cum-producer Anbu Chezhiyan on Wednesday.
A number of property documents, promissory notes, post-dated cheques taken as collateral security were recovered during the search and have been seized. It is estimated that the concealment in this case is likely to exceed Rs. 300 crore, sources in the IT department said.
The sleuths of IT department are also investigating actor Vijay’s investment in immovable properties and remuneration received from AGS Group for acting in the film Bigil. Searches in some of the premises are still continuing on Thursday evening.
On Wednesday, officials from the Income Tax department – Investigations wing raided AGS Group including AGS Cinemas along with Madurai-based Anbu Chezhian. Actor Vijay was also questioned by the taxmen. The common thread among all these entities was the success of a recent film Bigil staring Vijay which was a box office hit collecting around Rs. 300 crore.
About 38 premises of the group were covered in search and survey actions spread over Chennai and Madurai.
The distributor, who is a part of the group searched, is also a builder. All documents in original, belonging to the distributor, have been recovered from a hideout place, which was the house of his friend. Scrutiny of the evidence so unearthed is under progress. At the AGS Group, analysis of the accounts available in the office premises is under process. Evidences of actual receipts and expenses booked and remuneration paid to artists is also under the investigation of the IT department.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Investigation Wing of the IT department stormed NLC India Ltd’s campus in Cuddalore district and persuaded the actor Vijay, who was busy in shooting for his latest film Master, to cooperate with them for investigation and took him to Chennai.
