Doctor-turned-bureaucrat whose 'heart was still in politics', KG Arunraj ready to join TVK

Former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer K.G. Arunraj—who was posted with the Income Tax department in Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Maharashtra—has ready to join actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

A close acquaintance of Arunraj informed ThePrint that the former government official was already in discussion with Vijay about party work and a formal announcement would be made shortly.

"Sure, he is here to hold a high-ranking post in the party and that will be announced by party leader Vijay in due course," said the friend.

TVK sources disclosed that Arunraj would be deployed as rank equivalent to that of a general secretary.

Currently N. Anand is the general secretary of Vijay's and Martin's son-in-law Lottery Aadhav Arjuna's TVK, who had switched from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) to the TVK, serves as election general secretary. There Anand is responsible for party work and Aadhav for election work.

Arunraj, hailing from Salem district of Tamil Nadu, had done MBBS from Madras Medical College and was practicing in the rural sector, including the Krishnagiri district, before joining the IRS.

He had also cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam in 2009. While on duty in Tamil Nadu and Bihar, Arunraj sought voluntary retirement and his resignation was accepted with effect from 22 May this year.

"Since the day he became a doctor, he always wanted to do something in the admin stream, which is why he chose to pursue the UPSC. But politics has always interested him because that provides the highest amount of power to work for people," Arunraj's close friend told ThePrint.

Arunraj's personal assistant told ThePrint in an interview that the ex-bureaucrat had been waiting for long to join Vijay's party. "It was not a decision. He did not look for alternatives. He knew Vijay for long and prepared for long," the assistant replied. "He believes there is a need for a change.".

Although he was pursuing a course in medicine, he did not want to pursue medicine. He had aspirations of dwelling in public life and aspirations in the future as well.

As per sources close to Vijay, Arunraj became friends with Vijay following the Income Tax raids at the actor's residences and properties in relation to a probe into tax evasion.

I-T officials interrogated Vijay in 2020 in a suspected tax evasion case at a shooting spot in Neyveli in the Cuddalore district. The interrogation put his filming of his movie 'Master' helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj on hold momentarily.

"None of them were in touch with each other prior to Neyveli attack. It was only after that Vijay contacted Arunraj. In fact, while there was a delay going on with the registration in the Election Commission, it was Arunraj, even though he was working in the Bihar service," said a TVK insider to ThePrint.

Meanwhile, Vijay has also taken on-board JPACPersona founder Jhon Arokiasamy as election strategist. Arokiasamy had organized Vijay's maiden conference in Vikravandi in Villupuram and is now heading the party's political strategy with Aadhav Arjuna.

Managed high-end IT cases

Arunraj, who was an I-T department official in 2010, had also earned notoriety for conducting high-profile raids in the past, including the one in 2016 in which Rs 90 crore in cash – Rs 80 crore in old and demonetized currency and Rs 10 crore in new Rs 2,000 currency – was seized from offices of businessman Shekar Reddy and his friends Srinivasa Reddy and agent Prem. Along with the cash, 100 kg of gold were seized.

He later served in the I-T probe unit and handled a number of big-ticket cases. In 2020, the residence of actor Vijay was raided by the I-T officials; later, in 2021, the Joint Commissioner Arunraj was transferred by the Election Commission (EC).

EC director Pankaj Srivastava in a letter to CBDT also said Arunraj would have to be posted to CBDT headquarters immediately and the report on compliance would have to be submitted the next day at 10 a.m.

The transfer came after the EC reviewed the Tamil Nadu assembly election preparedness.

It was a disciplinary action against the officer, a top IRS officer in the I-T department told ThePrint. Arunraj's personal assistant, who was aware of the situation, said it was now the I-T department's turn to respond.