Madurai City Police on Tuesday arrested Saravanan (44), a DMK area secretary and the husband of former zonal chairperson Saravana Bhuvaneswari, in connection with the Madurai Corporation property tax irregularities case.
The scam allegations centre on violations such as assessing commercial buildings under residential tax categories and other deviations, with complaints claiming irregularities running up to ₹150 crore. In the wake of the controversy, seven DMK zonal chairpersons and standing committee heads had earlier resigned from their posts.
The Central Crime Branch (CCB), led by Assistant Commissioner Vinothini, has been investigating the matter for over a year. As part of the probe, more than 20 people—including the husband of former DMK mayor Indirani, corporation officials and computer operators—have been arrested, according to the report.
The latest arrest is linked to a complaint that a private hospital in Ward 15 received an unlawful property tax reduction worth several lakhs. Saravanan was taken from his residence for questioning and was arrested after about five hours of interrogation.
When police moved him from the CCB office towards a government hospital, DMK lawyers and party functionaries raised slogans against the TVK government. A scuffle reportedly broke out at the spot, during which a woman inspector fell and sustained injuries.
