Tax officials raid companies of TDP leaders in Andhra Pradesh

Chief minister alleges a Modi-linked conspiracy is behind action

After Telangana, it is the turn of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to witness income tax department raids against companies of ruling party leaders.

Teams of tax officials have carried out raids at 28 places in Vijayawada, Guntur, Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad targeting companies of different leaders of the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Tax officials carried raids on the Southern Granites company owned by B. Mastan Rao, former TDP Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kavali in Nellore district.

They also raided and searched the offices of Tropical Foods, a company owned by TDP legislator from Kandukur P. Rama Rao and his family.

Sources said the raids began on Thursday and continued yesterday, amid investigations into alleged money laundering and other irregularities.

There were also reports of similar raids against the famous Narayana Group of Educational Institutions run by the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P. Narayana. A team of IT officials had gone to the Narayana Group head office in Vijayawada but, after spotting journalists at the premises, they went back.

State Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu yesterday held urgent consultations with his Cabinet colleagues.

According to sources the chief minister alleged that the Centre was using official machinery including IT department to harass and pressurise the TDP leaders and asked the ministers to face the situation boldly and calmly.

It has become a habit for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate against his opponents but the TDP will foil this conspiracy of the BJP, Naidu told the ministers.

Naidu alleged the Centre was using official machinery to harass and pressurise the party leaders.