The Income Tax department has been conducting raids for the second consecutive day at the properties belonging to Anbu Chezhiyan, the top financier in the Tamil Cinema industry. The unprecedented raids began on Tuesday and besides Anbu Chezhiyan, the IT sleuths have also stormed into the residences of key producers including Kalaipuli S Dhanu and KE Gnanavel Raja. 

Over 20 places that belong to Anbu Chezhiyan in Chennai and Madurai have come under raids on Wednesday - August 3. These raids have come five months after the grand wedding of Chezhiyan's daughter in Chennai which was graced by various celebrities and leaders. Apart from these producers, raids are also being conducted at the locations of famous distributors such as Anbu Chezhiyan, Sakthivel, Mannar, S Pictures Seenu, and others. 

The IT Department has begun its raid in the wee hours of Tuesday (August 2) and the Centre's agency has raided over forty locations in Madurai and ten locations in Chennai. Popular cinema financier GN Anbu Cheziyan and notable producers Kalaipuli S Thanu, SR Prabhu, and Gnanavel Raja have come under the scanner and their residences are being searched. 

The premises of Anbu Selvan's offices and his Gopuram Cinemas have been raided by the officials. The searches began at around 7 am in Madurai and Chennai and the police have been stationed at these locations. It is the third time that Anbu Chezhiyan has been raided by the Income Tax officials. Earlier in February 2020, the IT officials stormed into Chezhiyan's residence in Chennai after the release of actor Vijay starred 'Bigil'. 

During that time, the officials seized about Rs 65 crore in cash and besides, Chezhiyan, the Income Tax Department brought actor Vijay and the movie producer Kalpathi Agoram into the scanner.  Anbu Chezhiyan has been a top financier in the Tamil movie industry and he has backed several superhit movies. In November 2017, Anbu Chezhiyan was accused of abetting the suicide of producer Ashok Kumar, who committed suicide due to harassment by the financier over debts.