Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption today carried out searches at the residences of former DMK minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam and his relatives in Cuddalore, Chidambaram and Chennai.

The searches at the residences of Mr Pannerselvam and his relatives come a few days after DVAC officials conducted searches at former labour minister T.M. Anbarasan’s house in Kundrathur here, police said.

Mr Panneerselvam handled the backward communities and health portfolios during the previous DMK regime and is the party’s strongman in Cuddalore district.

He unsuccessfully contested the April 13 state Assembly polls against Sorathur Rajendran of AIADMK in Kurinchipadi constituency in Cuddalore district.

DVAC had already arrested former higher education minister K. Ponmudi in Chennai in connection with a land grabbing case.

Former ministers Veerapandi S. Arumugam, K.N. Nehru and N.K.K.P. Raja were also arrested on charges of land grabbing in the crackdown launched by the Jayalalithaa government on land grabbing.