I-T RAIDS AT NAIDU’S TOP AIDE RESIDENCES
Ramesh, who was on I-T radar, calls move political vendetta
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
RAMESH’S RITHWIK Company was almost bankrupt before 2014. But without any tenders, Rithwik company has managed to won over `3,658 crore which was sanctioned by Chandrababu Naidu.
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 `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.”
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 Hyderababad, Prodattur and Delhi.
The sources said that the companies were in debt in 2014 but had bagged works worth `3,000 crore in AP and other states after that.
The group bagged power and irrigation projects in Rayalaseema, and mining and power projects outside AP. In recent times, it secured a hydroelectric project in Uttarakhand.
The company was pulled up for its work on the Handri Niva Sujala Sravanti and Vamsadhara projects.
Tax officials checked the balance sheets and invoices of Rithwik Projects. No cash or documents were seized and the raids are likely to continue on Saturday. Searches were also held at the offices of Mr Ramesh’s relatives who are in the construction and irrigation projects businesses.