Chennai: Income Tax department sleuths have found themselves in trouble for allegedly abetting the suicide of one of Lottery Martin’s employees. T Palanisamy, an employee was found dead in a pond. His son has lodged a complaint alleging that his father was harassed and beaten up by I-T sleuths.
Search operations on Martin’s properties, including a homeopathy college, began on April 30. More than 70 locations across India, including 22 locations in Coimbatore, were searched by I-T officials till May 3.
I-T department officials had picked up Palanisamy for interrogation during which he allegedly slit his wrist.
Palanisamy was discharged after spending a day at the hospital. However, he was found dead later that day.
Palanisamy’s son Rohin has also alleged that he saw his father being beaten up by one of the I-T sleuths at their residence.
Rohin demanded that action be taken against the officials. While the officials are yet to be identified, Karamadai police have registered a case under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.
The New Indian Express reported that Rohin also lodged a petition with the Coimbatore Chief Judicial Magistrate Court and the collector on Saturday, seeking a fair investigation into his father’s death.
Another media report stated that Palanisamy worked as a cashier at Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Ltd at GN Mills in Coimbatore.
A day after I-T investigations began, unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 5.8 crore and jewellery worth Rs 24 crore was seized from the operation. While Martin’s main business is the operation of lotteries run by state governments in which he functions as a marketing agent, he is also involved in the real estate business.