HYDERABAD: Income-tax (I-T) department officials raided on restaurant and function hall owners in Hyderabad on Saturday, suspecting their involvement in cash transactions related to the November 30 Assembly elections. The officials also raided BRS candidate P. Rohit Reddy in Tandur.
At Hotel Kohinoor and King's Palace premises, high drama unfolded as staff resisted cooperation with I-T officials, leading to the locking of main doors. Central forces and I-T officials had to climb walls to open locks before commencing searches.
In Hyderabad, five teams of I-T officials conducted raids on businessmen and real estate owners, probing alleged cash transfers to various political parties during the election. King's Palace owner Shahnawaz, operating function halls in the Old City, faced scrutiny of income-tax returns (ITRs) and bank accounts.
Suspecting cash transactions between businessmen and political parties, the I-T teams targeted several businessmen based on human intelligence and technical inputs. Raids were also carried out on Hotel Kohinoor owner Majeed Khan, who is involved in function halls and real estate.
The focus of the officials included benami transactions, examining transaction details of bank accounts, regular transactions, and ITRs. The Kohinoor group owner's connections with a Karnataka minister were also under investigation.
Meanwhile, I-T officials conducted raids on BRS Tandur MLA 'Pilot' Rohit Reddy's residences in Tandur and Hyderabad, scrutinising his business activities and digital payments, including bank accounts.
Nov. 2: Raids on Congress leaders Parijata Narsimha Reddy of Badangpet and K. Laxma Reddy of Maheshwaram.
Nov. 11: Raids on minister and BRS leader P. Sabitha Indra Reddy's relatives Pradeep Reddy and others.
Nov. 12: Raids on Palair Congress candidate Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and his offices in Khammam and Palair.
Nov. 21: ED and I-T officials raid Congress candidates G. Vivek and G. Vinod
Nov. 24: Raids on Tandur Congress candidate Manohar Reddy's family members.
