On Thursday, officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) conducted a significant raid on the premises of Du Yongan, a Chinese national residing in Renigunta, a town near Tirupati.
Sources indicate that Du Yongan operates a Chinese restaurant called ‘Big Kitchen,’ which caters to numerous Chinese workers employed in industrial units within and around Renigunta. The raid was reportedly prompted by suspicions that Yongan had accumulated substantial tax defaults stemming from his business earnings.
Investigators from the ED and IB, arriving from New Delhi and Chennai, meticulously examined documents at his scrap godown and other properties in Yerpedu. His financial dealings, reportedly involving crores of rupees allegedly channeled to China, are now under intense scrutiny. It has also come to light that he is married to a local woman.
This isn’t Du Yongan’s first brush with the law; he has previously been under district police surveillance for violating visa regulations, defaulting on taxes, and managing multiple businesses under various identities.
Notably, in 2021, Du Yongan was arrested by Renigunta police on charges related to visa violations, forgery, and illegal residency. His passport was confiscated and submitted to the Tirupati court. With the ongoing investigation, Du Yongan has remained in the area, reportedly continuing his business activities without apparent issues.
Officials from several banks also arrived at the site to cooperate with the investigating teams. Superintendent of Police (SP) L. Subbarayudu confirmed to The Hindu that ED and IB officials were indeed conducting a raid at Du Yongan’s premises.