IT raids at TN Chief Secy’s house, office at State Secretariat

21 December, Chennai

Officials of the Income-Tax department today conducted simultaneous raids at the residential and office premises of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao and his family members in the city.

The searches which began at around 0530 hrs this morning beginning with Rao’s Anna Nagar West residence, were currently continuing in about 13 places, including at his son Vivek Vishnu’s house and office premises and atplaces belonging to their family members and others. Later, searches were also conducted at the Chief Secretary’s office locatedat the second floor in the State Secretariat.

Accompanied by central para military forces as security, about 20 officials landed at the Secretariat to conduct the searches. This was for the first time in Tamil Nadu the residence of a Chief Secretaryand his office at the State Secretariat were subjected to searches by the IT department.

A large posse of CRPF police personnel were deployed at Mr Rao’s house,Secretariat and at the office of the Income-Tax department in the city. Police forces were also deployed at the Secretariat complex , especially at Gate No.6 through which the IT officials entered the premises, in view of the raids. Certain properties of Mr Rao at Chitoor and Bengaluru were also being searched, sources said.