Tamil Nadu’s former Chief Secretary Rama Mohana Rao was admitted to the Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre in Chennai on Saturday, three days following I-T raids at his residence, office and other properties.
Reports suggest that he has been admitted to SRMC’s Intensive Care Unit with chest pain.
I-T officials carried out searches in the wee hours of Wednesday in his Anna Nagar residence and 13 other properties belonging to him, his son and other relatives in Chennai, Bengaluru and Chittoor. Raids were also carried out at his office at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat.
I-T officials reportedly seized Rs 30 lakh in new currency, 5kg gold and documents with details of undisclosed assets worth Rs 5 crore from Rao’s residence and properties belonging to his relatives.
On Thursday, a day after the raids, Rao was dropped as Chief Secretary of the state and was replaced by Girija Vaidyanathan. She was also given additional charge of the post of Vigilance Commissioner and Commissioner for Administrative reforms, posts held earlier by Rao.
There has been some speculation that Rao is facing suspension, but no such official decision has been taken just yet. Rao remains in service, but without a posting.
The raids on Rao’s properties are allegedly linked to the seizures and subsequent arrest of sand-mining tycoon Shekar Reddy.
On December 8, Income Tax officials seized Rs 90 crore worth of cash and 100 kg of gold bars in multiple raids in Chennai.
Out of the Rs 90 crore that was seized by the I-T sleuths, Rs 80 crore was in discontinued old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes, while Rs 10 crore was recently introduced Rs 2000 notes.
One Srinivasa Reddy, his associate Shekhar Reddy and their agent Prem were being interrogated by I-T officials in connection with the seizure.
The Income Tax department later declared the seizure to be of a whopping 177 kg gold and Rs 130 crore, of which Rs 34 crore was in new denomination currency.
Following cases registered by the ED and CBI Shekhar Reddy and his associates were arrested on Thursday.