In a major development in the ongoing Madurai property tax scam, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday arrested Pon Vasanth, the husband of Madurai Mayor Indrani, in Chennai. On the same day, former assistant commissioner Suresh Kumar, currently serving in the Tuticorin Corporation, was taken into custody.
Vasanth, who was suspended from the DMK in May for alleged anti-party activities, is the latest high-profile figure to be linked to the scandal. The arrests come as part of a wider crackdown initiated by the Madras High Court, which directed the formation of the SIT.
The scam centers on the manipulation of the UTIS property tax software, where property assessments were intentionally undervalued. Authorities estimate the scam caused revenue losses of several crores to the Madurai Corporation.
Over recent months, the SIT—headed by DIG Abhinav Kumar of the Madurai Range—has intensified its investigation. Among those detained earlier were DMK member Kannan, husband of Ward 51 Councillor and Chairperson of the Taxation and Finance Standing Committee, K Vijayalakshmi, and Senthil Pandi, a bill collector from Ward 96. Investigators revealed Kannan had maintained direct contact with several individuals who benefited from the tax manipulations.
While Vijayalakshmi was questioned, she has not been arrested and has been asked to appear for further inquiry, according to sources.
Earlier phases of the investigation led to the arrests of assistant commissioner (revenue) A Rengarajan, six bill collectors, middlemen, and temporary staff of the Corporation. Police sources confirmed that the probe is still ongoing, with more arrests likely as they work to uncover the full extent of the irregularities.
