As expected, firebrand ex-MLA from Kodangal and newly-appointed working president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) A Revanth Reddy became the subject of Income Tax raids on Thursday, obviously as part of witch-hunting by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the run-up to the state assembly elections.
Two teams from the Income Tax department arrived from New Delhi early in the morning and began simultaneous raids on Revanth’s house at Jubilee Hills, besides the office of his infrastructure company being operated from his house and also the residences of his relatives. In all, raids are going on at 15 different places, sources said.
There is a talk that the raids were being done at the behest of the TRS bigwigs, as Revanth has become a thorn in their flesh. But since it might lead to criticism if the state government itself reopened the cash-for-vote case at this stage, the TRS bosses allegedly got a complaint lodged by an advocate Immaneni Rama Rao with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which in turn forwarded the complaint to the Enforcement Directorate and income Tax department authorities.
In his complaint, the advocate alleged that Revanth had resorted to cheating and money laundering along with his brother-in-law Sudini Jayaprakash and sister Sudini Padma.
Revanth had allegedly floated a company in the name of Sri Sai Mourya Estates And Projects Pvt Ltd, which had indulged in money laundering of Rs 200 crore to Rs 300 crore by floating 10-15 fictitious companies.
All these companies have a common address for their registered office at # 346 Jubilee Hills Hyderabad which is presently owned by Revanth Reddy. All of them have common directors, most of the being Revanth’s family members.
However, the timing of the income tax raids has given rise to the suspicion that it could be part of the TRS witch-hunting.
More recently, the Sangareddy police reopened a 14-year old case against former Congress whip T Jayaprakash Reddy and arrested him in a fake passport case.