HYDERABAD: The Income Tax Department issued notices to the first/previous Telangana State Council of Ministers, who had held offices during the period of 2014 to 2018, for allegedly raising party funds through unauthorised means.
Speaking to Express, a former minister in Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s first Cabinet said, “My colleagues have received the notices. I am yet to receive the notice. This may be due to a postal delay.”
In 2017, the TRS leaders and the then ministers acted as ‘coolie’ by making tea, selling fruit juices and ice creams to collect money for organising the party’s plenary.
IT and Municipal Administration Minister and TRS working president KT Rama Rao is said to have raised over `7 lakh in similar fashion. Other TRS leaders and formers ministers too made a lot of money in the other parts of the State, according to reports. Finding fault with it, Congress leader Revanth Reddy went to the Supreme Court seeking disqualification of the legislators. Later, the apex court reportedly asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to furnish a report. The EC then asked the IT department to submit a report on the funds collected and incurred. The IT department further sent notices to 17 former ministers.