Controversial Tamil film financier and distributor Anbu Chezhian, and other top producers, was again visited by Income Tax authorities on Tuesday, as they conducted searches over 60 locations owned by, or connected to them, for alleged tax evasion.
This is the third time in the past few years that Chezhian, who was accused of charging exorbitant interest for the money he lent to film producers, came under the I-T radar. In 2020, premises owned by him were searched, along with those related to actor Vijay.
Besides Chezhian, premises belonging to producers ‘Kalaipuli’ S Dhanu, S R Prabhu, and K E Gnanavel Raja, and another film distributor were also raided. Dhanu is a veteran film producer who has stayed relevant in the field for the past three decades at least, while Prabhu and Raja are close to actor Suriya, who is quite vocal about social issues, and is a critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre.
Sources told DH that over 60 premises linked to Chezhian, Dhanu, Prabhu, Raja, and another film distributor were being raided for suspected tax evasion. The I-T department has raided top film producers and actors in the past few years; producers of Vijay-starrer Bigil, including Kalpathi S Aghoram, were raided in 2020.
Chezhian first shot into limelight after his name cropped up in the case of suicide of veteran film producer G Venkateswaran alias GV, brother of ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam in 2003. It was alleged that Chezhian was the reason for GV’s suicide, due to the “debt trap” laid by the former. Chezhian, however, dismissed the allegations.
Fourteen years later, Chezhian’s name cropped up again when producer Ashok Kumar died by suicide in 2017. Kumar killed himself allegedly due to harassment from Chezhian over loans. After his name was besmirched again, Chezhian, who is linked to several AIADMK leaders from southern Tamil Nadu, kept away from the limelight.
The I-T department’s actions come close on the heels of several government contractors, including those considered close to former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and AIADMK strongman in Coimbatore S P Velumani, being searched for alleged tax evasion.