Ring closes around Naidu as top aides face big raids

A series of raids in the last 48 hours by Central agencies of the homes and offices of close associates of former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, including his former private secretary, is causing some anxiety in Telugu Desam circles about the future of their boss.

Income-tax officials have raided the residences and offices of Mr Naidu's former personal secretary P. Srinivasa Rao and Kadapa district TD president Srinivasula Reddy at Vijayawada, Kadapa and Hyderabad.

On Friday, I-T officials reportedly raided Aveksa Corporation in Hyderabad owned by former TD minister Prattipati Pulla Rao's son Sharath.

Apparently, I-T officials have never raided the house of the personal secretary of a former chief minister before. Another interesting aspect is that the I-T officials came from Delhi directly, and with a team from the Central Reserve Police Force to conduct the raid.

Official sources said that several documents detailing information of assets worth crores of rupees have been found.

The residence of Kadapa district TD president R. Srinivasula Reddy and the office of his company RK Infra at Hyderabad and other places were raided.

Meanwhile the CID, which is investigating insider trading in the Amaravati land deals, has registered cases against Mr Pulla Rao and former minister P. Narayana. On Friday the CID booked cases on seven persons.

The CID has asked the IT department and ED to investigate money laundering and tax issues related to insider trading of Amaravati lands.

In Telangana state, an ACB court hearing is going on over disproportionate assets of Mr Naidu on a complaint filed by Ms Lakshmi Parvathi, the wife of the late N.T. Rama Rao.

With Central and state governments going after him, TD leaders are scared of the future of their leader and their own political future. Some assert that the Centre headed by the BJP is harassing their leaders to defame them.