The latest search operations conducted by Income Tax department in various companies and houses of various individuals in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, leading to busting of a major racket worth over Rs 2,000 crore has triggered a political slugfest between YSR Congress party and the Telugu Desam Party leaders.
The YSRC has lost no time in attacking TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and his son Lokesh. Within hour of I-T department issuing the press release about the searches on Thursday night, YSRC spokesman Ambati Rambabu came up with a statement that the raids directly exposed the scam involving Naidu and his family members.
On Friday, several YSRC leaders, one after the other, flooded the media with statements and press conferences, launched a tirade on Naidu describing him as a fountain head of corruption. They sought to attribute the entire Rs 2,000 crore unaccounted monetary transactions to Naidu and his son.
“It is just a tip of iceberg and if the I-T department conducts searches on Naidu’s residence, thousands of crores of unaccounted money will be unearthed,” the YSRC leaders said.
Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu said the IT raids have clearly proved how corrupt Naidu was and wondered how many crores of fraud would come to light if raids were conducted on the houses of Naidu and his son Lokesh.
He demanded an inquiry into Naidu’s assets by the Enforcement Directorate. People have come to know how Naidu had plundered the government treasury, he said asked why Naidu was silent now.
Minister Avanti Srinivas said Naidu was adept in money laundering and this could be gauged by the fact that Rs 2,000 crore fraud was found in his personal secretary’s possession.
The TDP leaders, also did not lose much time in launching the counter-attack. TDP official spokesperson Panchumarthi Anuradha wondered how I-T raids on former personal secretary could be attributed to the chief minister.
“He was one of the many personal secretaries of the then chief minister. He was relieved from duty nine months ago. How can something found in his residence be linked to Naidu? For that matter, Jagan’s personal photographer was arrested in the past on the charges of killing his wife. Can it be attributed to Jagan?” she asked.
A statement from TDP state office alleged the YSRC leaders of trying to malign the image of Naidu.
“While the press release of the I-T department said irregularities worth Rs 2,000 cr were detected in different parts of the country without mentioning any names, the YSRC started a false campaign as if Rs 2,000 crore was recovered from Naidu’s former PS,” it said.
The TDP statement pointed out that the CBI had strongly opposed granting of exemption to Jagan from personal appearances in the court as he would influence the witnesses.
“Jagan had tarnished the image of Andhra Pradesh through his shell companies and money laundering at international level. He has no moral right to criticise Naidu,” the party said.
