After Telangana, it is the turn of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to witness the income tax department raids against the companies of the ruling Telugu Desam Party leaders.
Teams of IT officials have carried out raids at 28 places in Vijaywada, Guntur, Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad targeting various companies including Southern Construction, VS Logistics, Swagruha, Southern Granites and Tropical Foods of different leaders of ruling Telugu Desam Party.
IT officials carried out raids on Southern Granites company of B Mastan Rao, former TDP MLA from Kavali in Nellore district. They also raided and searched the offices of Tropical Foods company of TDP MLA from Kandukur P Rama Rao and his family. Sources said raids began on Thursday and continued on Friday to investigate alleged money laundering and other irregularities.
There were also reports of similar raids against the famous Narayana Group of Educational Institutions of the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P Narayana.
A team of IT officials had gone to the Narayana Group head office in Vijayawada but after spotting the media at the premises they went back. When media persons also went after the vehicles of IT officials they asked them not to chase them and assured that media will be briefed.
As the report created a lot of ripples across the State the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday held urgent consultations with his Cabinet colleagues. According to the sources the Chief Minister alleged that the the Centre was using official machinery including IT department to harass and pressurise the TDP leaders and asked the Ministers to face the situation boldly and calmly.
It has become a habit with the Prime Minister Narendar Modi to use IT and Enforcement Directorate against his opponents but the TDP will foil this conspiracy of the BJP, Naidu told the Ministers.
This has come close on the heels of the IT department officials carrying out a raid against senior Congress leader A Revanth Reddy, his family members and associates. Revanth Reddy was earlier in Telugu Desam party and now holds the position of working president of Telangana state Congress committee. Later Revanth Reddy was summoned to IT department office in Hyderabad and was questioned regarding the "Note for Vote" scam which took place when Revanth Reddy was in TDP. Both Revanth Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu were among the accused in 2015 case. Revanth Reddy was caught red handed when he was paying Rs 50 lakh to a nominated MLA of Telangana Elvis Stephenson to vote for TDP candidate in Telangana Legislative Council poll. He had also promised to pay another 4.5 crore to the legislator. During the questioning, the IT officials wanted to know the source of money which he offered to the MLA. Chandrababu Naidu strongly condemned the IT raids against Revanth Reddy and termed it as vindictive measure.