CHENNAI: The raids on senior bureaucrat P Rama Mohana Rao, which created ripples in Tamil Nadu since Wednesday morning, were finally over on Thursday evening. While inspections were on simultaneously at 14 locations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, today’s action was limited to five places, said senior officials.
“We have not seized any amount till now,” said official sources, even as rumours are making the rounds citing various figures of money that has allegedly been seized from various premises. It is learnt that during the raids conducted in last two days, the total seizure has only been `30 lakh of currencies and two kg of gold from Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said they would enter the investigation against the former chief secretary based on the preliminary report which the Income Tax department is likely to file on Friday.
Till then, the agency will not be part of the investigations, a senior Enforcement Directorate official told Express.
“Income tax evasion alone can’t be called a criminal offence. Only if the charges are serious and case is made out by CBI or the State law enforcement agencies will the directorate join the investigation,” sources added. After being the centre of attraction on Wednesday, Rama Mohana Rao’s house on Y Block Street in Anna Nagar wore a desolate look on Thursday, with only a policewoman standing at the entrance of the street with barricade.
“There has been some activity inside,” confided a neighbour as a few reporters and camera crew waited outside to catch a glimpse of the suspended chief secretary or the income tax officials who have been investigating the sand mining links of Rao.
That the security was withdrawn and the beacon on top of the car of former chief secretary was removed immediately after his successor was named did not miss media attention.