Income Tax Department Denies Allegations by Tamil Nadu Congress Chief, Calls Claims of Illegal Confinement Baseless
New Delhi, April 21, 2026:
The Income Tax Department has strongly denied allegations made by K. Selvaperunthagai, President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and a candidate from the Sriperumbudur Assembly Constituency, accusing departmental officials of unlawfully restricting his movement under the pretext of conducting a search. In an official press release issued on April 21, 2026, the Department described the allegations as baseless and factually incorrect, clarifying that no search, survey or enforcement action had been conducted against him.
The controversy emerged after Selvaperunthagai published a post on the social media platform X on April 20, 2026. In the post, he alleged that Income Tax Department officials had confined him within his constituency and prevented him from carrying out his political responsibilities and participating in election-related activities. He reportedly repeated these allegations while interacting with the media on the same day.
The matter attracted further attention after sections of the media reported that his residence in Kilpauk, Chennai, had also been searched by the Income Tax Department. These claims prompted the Department to examine the statements and media reports and verify the facts surrounding the incident.
Following its review, the Department categorically rejected the allegations. It clarified that no search, survey or other enforcement action had been carried out against Selvaperunthagai on April 20, 2026, or at any time in the recent past. The Department also stated that no action had been taken to restrict his movement or prevent him from performing his political duties.
Addressing reports concerning his residence, the Department specifically clarified that no premises, including his home in Kilpauk, Chennai, had been covered under any Income Tax proceedings as alleged in the media reports.
The Department further explained that certain limited verification exercises had been conducted in parts of Sriperumbudur based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the suspected movement of unaccounted cash. According to the official statement, these routine verification activities were carried out in coordination with the appropriate authorities and were not connected in any way to Selvaperunthagai.
The Income Tax Department added that the verification exercises did not produce any findings that warranted further action. It also maintained that these activities neither involved nor affected the Congress leader in any capacity.
Taking the matter further, the Department stated that the allegations had been reported to the Election Commission of India. It also confirmed that a complaint had been lodged with the Commissioner of Police, Chennai, seeking appropriate legal proceedings over the alleged dissemination of false information and defamatory statements against a government department.
The Department’s response seeks to clarify the distinction between routine verification activities undertaken in response to intelligence inputs and the specific allegations made against the Congress leader. By issuing the statement, it has formally rejected claims that its officials conducted a search at his residence or unlawfully restricted his movement during election-related activities.
The matter now involves the complaint submitted to the police and the communication made to the Election Commission of India. Any further developments will depend on the examination of the allegations by the relevant authorities.
The press release was issued by the Income Tax Department in New Delhi on April 21, 2026.
News Source: Income Tax Department – Official Press Release
