The Income Tax (I-T) department has seized unaccounted cash adding up to ₹77 crore from various locations in Chennai and Madurai belonging to financier-cum-producer Anbu Chezhiyan. Known as Madurai Anbu among members of the film fraternity, he heads a production house called Gopuram Films.
A number of property documents, promissory notes and postdated cheques taken as collateral were recovered during the search and have been seized by I-T officials. It is estimated that the concealment in his case is likely to exceed ₹300 crore. There have been no cash seizures so far in the case of actor Vijay. But I-T officials said they were investigating his investment in immovable properties and remuneration received from AGS Entertainment for Bigil. “Searches at some of the premises are still on,” according to a statement by Surabhi Ahluwalia, Commissioner of Income Tax (Media and Technical Policy) and CBDT spokesperson.
Income Tax team escorts Vijay to Chennai from Cuddalore 'Master' shoot for an inquiry
On Wednesday, officials from the Income Tax department – Investigations Wing raided AGS Group including AGS Cinemas along with Madurai- based Anbu Chezhiyan. Actor Vijay was also questioned by the taxmen. The common thread among all these entities was the success of a recent film Bigil starring Vijay which was a box office hit collecting around ₹300 crore. About 38 premises of the group were covered in search and survey actions spread over Chennai and Madurai.
According to IT officials, 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 under investigation.
