Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP and businessman C.M. Ramesh has accused the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of victimising the leaders and parties opposing it, particularly by trying to “terrorise” them with the help of Income Tax and other such institutions.
Reacting to the searches conducted by the Income Tax Department officials for two days in his residences and company offices at Kadapa, Hyderabad and other places and the residences of his relatives, employees and friends, Mr. Ramesh said here on Sunday that the searches yielded nothing. He pointed out that the I-T searches had taken place after his party’s decision to make him a member of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, which was opposed by the ruling BJP.
The TDP Rajya Sabha member explained that he was elected to the committee through voting in spite of the BJP’s efforts to keep him away from the PAC. The I-T search followed his letter to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) seeking details of such searches conducted in States other than Andhra Pradesh in the recent past.
Stating that the I-T officials did not specify the reasons for searches at his residences and offices , Mr. Ramesh said even the search warrant carried by the officials was wrong as it stated that his wife was director of Rithwik Project Pvt Ltd. “ She is neither the director nor the shareholder of the said company,” Mr. Ramesh clarified.
Explaining the hollowness of the I-T searches, the TDP leader, considered to be close to the party president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, said that the I-T officials had conducted searches at two premises in New Delhi and Bengaluru, from where his company’s offices were shifted six years and three years back, respectively. He noted that his company had executed contracts with higher worth higher amounts when the TDP was in opposition.
Further, Mr. Ramesh stated that the I-T officials could find only ₹ 3.53 lakh cash from his residence, collection of offerings made to god, a computer used by his son to watch films and another ₹73,000 cash in the company’s office and not huge cash as is being reported by some media organisations affiliated to a rival political party.
“I don’t have any links with Pakistan nor am I in possession of any defence or rocket science documents,” he said and termed the I-T searches as “pure political vendetta” being pursued by BJP. The TDP leader said his party would take such political victimisation to the people by raising the issue at the national and State level.