The Income Tax department on Friday conducted searches at premises of Telugu Desam Party Rajya Sabha member CM Ramesh in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, sources said.
The MP termed the raids as a “political vendetta.”
Raids began Friday morning at Ramesh’s residence in his native village Yerraguntala in Kadapa district.
Simultaneously, his Jubilee Hills residence and his business firm Ritwik Projects’ office in Hyderabad were also raided by a team comprising 10 Income Tax sleuths.
“Searches are being conducted at residences of Mr Ramesh in Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh. I-T officials are also verifying records at his residence and office in Hyderabad also. It is a routine one. No significance is attached to this,” said sources in the I-T department.
Condemning the raids, the TDP said it was “pure political vendetta” as Ramesh had been vociferously fighting for the state’s causes in Parliament.
“This is an attack on the Andhra people. The Modi government has been adopting a vengeful attitude as we have been demanding that all promises made for AP be fulfilled,” Information Technology Minister N Lokesh charged in a tweet.
The raids were aimed at preventing flow of investments into the state by scaring away industrialists, he alleged.
The minister also asserted that there would be no going back till the demand for grant of special category status to AP was met.
Ramesh, who is in New Delhi, charged the IT raids on his premises were prompted by the opposition YSR Congress.
“In fact, the prime minister himself warned us right inside Parliament about consequences since we have been fighting for the state’s rights. The I-T raids are a result of the warning,” he alleged.
The MP, who is a member of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, also said he had declared an income of Rs 200 crore in the last four years and promptly paid tax.
“I will not be cowed down by such attacks,” he added.
