Income-Tax raids at Naidu's top aide residences
Ramesh, who was on I-T radar, calls move political vendetta.
Hyderabad: TD MP C.M. Ramesh, among AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s closest aides, was raided by Income Tax sleuths on Friday on suspicion of largescale I-T Act violations.
Twelve teams of I-T officials raided the offices and residences of Mr Ramesh and his group companies at Hyderabad, Prodattur and Delhi.
Last week, I-T officials had raided TD politicians and some firms owned by TD supporters in Andhra Pradesh. One of the firms, which dealt with real estate, was said to be close to a key minister in Mr Naidu’s Cabinet.
On September 27, I-T officials had raided Congress leader A. Revanth Reddy, a former associate of Mr Naidu and accused in the cash-for-vote scam.
Three days ago, Mr Ramesh had questioned the I-T raids in AP and had written a letter to the department seeking details. Mr Ramesh had recently gone on a week-long fast demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Ramesh called the raids political vendetta. He is a director of several firms such as Rithwik Properties, Global Earth Minerals, Anjandri Power Private Limited, Kadapa Power Private Limited and bagged multi-crore projects in AP and Uttarakhand.
Their turnover is reported to be around Rs 1,000 crore. On Friday, I-T personnel raided Mr Ramesh’s residence in Jubilee Hills, which is adjacent to the house of Mr Naidu, the office of Rithwik Projects Private Limited in Banjara Hills, offices in Delhi and at his native place Proddatur in Kadapa district.
A source told this newspaper, “The MP bagged contracts in AP without following the tender process. Many multi-crore projects were allocated on nomination basis. The projects include modernisation of canals, construction of irrigation projects and laying of roads.”