Income Tax department officials on Thursday searched the offices of Telugu Desam Party leader Beeda Masthan Rao in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district and other places, The News Minute reported.
Simultaneous raids were conducted at eight places, including Dhamavaram, Isakapalli, Nellore and Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai, according to The Hindu. Income Tax officials from Chennai reportedly conducted raids at the premises of companies of the BMR Group, which Rao owns. These included a shrimp farming and exports firm.
Income tax officials also questioned Rao, who is a former legislator from Kavali, and seized documents related to his business transactions.
At present, Rao is a member of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority and is considered to be close to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Various reports said the Income Tax Department also carried raids at colleges and schools owned by the Narayana Group of Educational Institutions, which is run by Telugu Desam Party legislator Ponguru Narayana. However, the minister has denied the reports, calling it erroneous and false.
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