TN Chief Sey Rama Mohana Rao’s Home Raided by Income Tax Officials
CHENNAI/NEW DELHI : In a significant development in Chennai, Income Tax officials are conducting raids at the properties of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Rama Mohana Rao and his close associates.
The raid began simultaneously at his residence and the premises of his close associates in at least ten locations in the city in the small hours today. Over 100 sleuths of the IT Department are involved in the search operation.
Simultaneous raids began at about 5:30 in the morning at the bureaucrat’s official residence in the city’s upscale Anna Nagar locality and seven other locations, including homes of his relatives. A large number of personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF have been posted outside Mr Rao’s home as the income tax officials conduct their searches.
Income Tax officials said the raids are linked to a tax evasion investigation against Mr Rao’s son Vikram Rao. Earlier this month, taxmen had found over 100 kg of gold, Rs.96 crore in banned 500 and 1,000-rupee notes and Rs. 34 crore in new currency notes in raids at the homes of three Tamil Nadu businessmen, one of whom, J Shekar Reddy, allegedly has business links with the Chief Secretary’s son.
Sources said documents found at Mr Reddy’s house may have led to the raids today, which took place even as Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was in Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seek central aid for the state to help repair the damage caused by the cyclone that hit Tamil Nadu last week.
MK Stalin leader of main Opposition party DMK, said the “unprecendented” raids had “brought shame for Tamil Nadu.” Mr Stalin said, “Corrupt officers and those behind them shouldn’t be allowed to escape.”
Rama Mohana Rao, a 1985 batch officer, took over as Chief Secretary in June this year. He was earlier posted in the Chief Minister’s office and is seen as an officer with much political influence.
Mr Rao is said to have played an important role in J Jayalalithaa’s companion Sasikala Natarajan coming to the forefront of politics in the state after the former chief minister died in hospital earlier this month.
Ms Natarajan has been asked by the ruling AIADMK to take over as party chief. She is also believed to have been aided by Mr Rao in the swift selection of Mr Panneerselvam as chief minister.
The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate also joined the probe following the startling revelations and filed cases agaist the trio including under sections of money laundering.
It is strongly believed that the inquiries helped the IT sleuths to widen their net, leading to the searches that are under way now. Mr Reddy is considered to be very close to Mr Rama Mohana Rao. The raid is believed to go on for more than a day and confirmation about the findings are expected to be known only after its conclusion.
