Hyderabad: Searches at A K Goyal house in Jubilee hills on Friday

Hyderabad: Flying surveillance teams (FST) of the Election Commission were carrying out searches at the residence of former IAS officer and former government adviser A.K. Goel at Road No. 22 of Jubilee Hills, till last reports came in.

I-T department officials also joined the search which started in the evening.

While central armed personnel assisted the teams, city police teams were deployed outside. Police cordoned off the lane where the house is located and blocked entries to the connecting lanes.

It was alleged that a huge amount of money was stashed in Goel’s residence for distributing to the electorate ahead of the elections.

Officials involved in the search confirmed to Deccan Chronicle that no illegally stored cash was found so far, but the searches are going on. They refused to comment further on the searches.

A large number of Congress workers gathered outside the house, shouting “We want justice” slogans. They alleged that the search teams were trying to hush up the issue.

They alleged that the cops had let off a few persons on bikes without number plates.

TPCC senior vice-president Mallu Ravi told Deccan Chronicle that when Congress workers questioned those leaving the house, cops caned them. “Instead of stopping the people from leaving the premises, the police used force on our workers, injuring them,” he said.

Videos of people leaving the house and the cops caning the congress workers went viral on social media. Police later said that that those who left the house during the searches were Goel’s security personnel.

The searches also resulted in inconveniences to the neighbours. Some neighbours were seen pleading with the cops to allow their vehicles in so that they can go to their homes.