For DMK leaders, losing political power for two consecutive terms in the state, and consequently losing significance at the centre, means bail pleas and raids at their premises, either by Income tax or enforcement directorate sleuths.

With few leaders from the Congress and its ally in Tamil Nadu the DMK embroiled in scams of different hues, while sharing power in the UPA government, it is only logical that the new dispensation would get tough on them.

Besides, with the telecom spectrum scam and other related issues being court monitored, as also the coal scam, there is not much the politicians can do either. Former telecom minister A Raja and DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi are out on bail in corruption cases.

The woes of DMK leaders are only increasing.

Now if Maran brothers had to seek anticipatory bail in telecom cases, after being summoned for questioning in New Delhi, the plight of another DMK ministerial colleague in Manmohan Singh government, S Jagatrakhakan is also no different.

On Wednesday, some 300 sleuths of the income tax department carried out raids on the premises, distilleries and residence of the former union minister, considered very close to DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. The former union minister, a heavy weight in linquor trade also owns a deemed university.

Simultaneous raids on 40 of his premises in Chennai and Puducherry were conducted on Wednesday. The raids began early morning at 7.

The former union minister is alleged to have used his clout to corner coal allocation for his company.