Income tax sleuths are currently searching the residence of DMK's Thoothukudi candidate Kanimozhi. A team of 10 officials are currently at her residence in Thoothukudi.

The raid at Kanimozhi's house comes almost immediately after the Election Commission announced that the Lok Sabha election to Vellore was being cancelled. It also comes with just over a day to go for the polls. The residence where the search is ongoing has been rented by Kanimozhi ahead of her campaign in the district.

According to reports, flying squads also conducted raids at Thoothukudi MLA and DMK Secretary Geetha Jeevan's residence. 

DMK chief MK Stalin, however, hit out at the Election Commission over the searches and said, "Tamiliasai Soundarrajan has several crores of money at her residence. Why no raids at her place? Despite a proper complaint to election commission no action has been taken. I call for reforms in election commission in the future.”

He also alleged, “Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi is using the Election Commission to tarnish the reputation of the DMK."

There have been multiple raids by I-T Department since the Lok Sabha Election was announced with searches taking place in Karnataka and Andhra.

The election to the Vellore constituency was cancelled following seizure of Rs 11 crore from the godown of a man close to a DMK functionary. According to an FIR filed in the case, the DMK functionary had admitted that the money belonged to him. The IT department says it seized notes which explained in which ward the money would be distributed in.

Tamil Nadu goes to polls on April 18, with Elections to be held in 38 parliamentary constituencies and 18 Assembly seats.