Income Tax officials made searches at the residence of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao and his office in the State Secretariat, according to an IT official.
Searches were also on at premises associated with Rao’s son Vivek, the official said. The IT officials are conducting searches at 10 locations associated with Rao in Chennai and Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.
The authorities have unearthed over ₹18 lakh in newly issued large denomination currencies, 2 kg bullion and documents relating to ₹5 crore worth of unaccounted property. At the time of going to press, the searches were still on.
The raid at Rao’s residence in the posh Anna Nagar area started at around 5.30 am. Over 15 CRPF personnel accompanied the IT officials. The searches at Rao’s chamber in the Secretariat began at about 2.30 pm with four IT officials.
The action on an incumbent chief secretary and the searches in the Secretariat are unprecedented.
According to the IT official, the investigation and searches were based on a tip-off from Sekhar Reddy, a contractor handling government projects. In searches conducted earlier this month at the premises of Reddy and his associates, over ₹100 crore in cash and over 120 kg of gold were found. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have started action against Reddy and his associates.
Following the action today by the IT authorities, the opposition parties called for stringent action against the chief secretary. He had been appointed in June, when the AIADMK government came to power again under former CM Jayalalithaa.
Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly and DMK treasurer MK Stalin said Rao thas to resign or Chief Minister O Panneerselvam should intervene and appoint a new chief secretary.