Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that there was no political interference in the investigation against former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao. Naidu said that it had been irresponsible of Rao to say that the Income Tax raids at his house and office were a constitutional assault on the top office, reported PTI.
“I do not want to react to irresponsible statements [made by Rao]. He is known to me as well. I advise him not to make any unnecessary political statements and further complicate the issue,” Naidu said. The urban development minister said that Rao could take recourse to law if the I-T sleuths found nothing in his house during their raids. “The Government of India has not removed him. I read in newspapers that somebody [Girija Vaidyanathan] has been appointed in his place.”
Naidu said the Centre had nothing to do with the raids and the government’s job was to ensure smooth functioning of the states. “And if there is any problem, the chief minister will talk to the Centre,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rao had held a press conference at which he alleged that he had been put under house arrest and that his life was in danger. “The Central Reserve Police Force entered my house and my son’s house at gunpoint,” he had said, adding that the search warrant produced by the CRPF did not have his name on it.
“The search warrant had the name of my son...They found nothing. No incriminating documents were found. There was no secret chamber,” he said. “I was under house arrest. It is an unconstitutional assault on the office of the chief secretary...I am being targeted. I fear my life is in danger.”
Officials had on December 21 conducted searches at Rao’s home and seven other locations. Rao said the investigators found Rs 1,12,320 in his house, gold that belongs to his wife and daughter, and silver articles and ornaments of deities weighing around 20-25 kg. “I am going to people’s court,” he said.
Rao also distanced himself from Sekhar Reddy, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam functionary and sand mining baron who had been arrested by the CBI on December 21 with large sums of black money. “I have no links with Sekhar Reddy. I have nothing to do with him. He has nothing to do with any government business,” he told reporters.
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