Ex-TN chief secy says his life is in danger, distances himself from Sekhar Reddy

Mangalore Today News Network

Tamil nadu, Dec 27, 2016: Former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao told reporters Tuesday that the Income Tax (I-T) raids on his residence and office premises were a ‘constitutional assault’ and alleged the Centre has no respect for the state.

 

“They handled me at gun point,” said Rao as he voiced apprehension that his life was in grave danger. He added that if Jayalalithaa was alive, neither the I-T nor the CRPF would have dared to enter the secretariat premises.

“I used to obey all that Jayalalithaa said…I am being targeted now…my life is in danger,” Rao said even as he made it clear that he was the ‘chief secretary’ even if the government appointed a new person.

Rao also distanced himself from Sekhar Reddy, the AIADMK functionary and miner-contractor who has been arrested by the CBI in connection with large seizures of alleged black money at his residences and offices. Fourteen of Reddy’s premises were raided leading to seizures of over Rs 130 crore including 34 crore in bills of Rs 2000 and 177 kilograms of gold.

“I have nothing to do with the contracts bagged by his firm. I was following Madam’s footsteps,” Rao told the press.

Tax officials found Rs 30 lakh in new Rs 2,000 notes, five kilograms of gold and documents with details of undisclosed assets at premises of Rao, his son Vivek and latters’ inlaws’ house in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. I-T sources told the Indian Express that both Reddy and Rao would be booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).