Chennai, Jun 27 (PTI) The IT investigation wing today said it is awaiting a reply from the Tamil Nadu government over alleged payment of bribes to a minister and top officials to facilitate sale of banned gutkha, but did not share details. "I can say that the information is true. I cannot share anything," a senior IT official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The official was responding to a query on a report in a leading English daily about the Income Tax department waiting for a response from the state government over the matter. "We have handed over the documents to police. This is all that I can say now," he said. The media report had claimed that the IT department searched the premises of a gutkha manufacturer last year and had seized documents detailing alleged payment of bribes to senior government officials. Reacting to the media report, DMK Working President and Leader of the Opposition in state Assembly, M K Stalin demanded action in the matter. He urged Chief Minister K Palaniswami to order a probe in this regard under a sitting judge of the Madras High Court and to take stern action against anyone allegedly involved if the report was found to be true. PTI VIJ SA APR TVS KUN