Income Tax Department conducted raids at the residence of Gurrappa Naidu, a chief accountant working in the Amara Raja Batteries, a company owned by Jayadev Galla. Jayadev Galla is the richest candidate in the Lok Sabha Elections with declared assets of Rs 683 crores. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP has filed his nomination from Guntur.
The TDP MP has accused Prime minister Narendra Modi of targeting him for political reasons after the Income Tax Department raided the house of a chief accountant of a company owned by him on Tuesday.
The officials carried out the searches at the residence of the chief accountant at around 6 pm. The chief accountant was taken to an undisclosed location by the officials where he was constantly questioned and reportedly detained for six hours. Gurrapa Naidu was released by the Income Tax Authorities at around 11.30 pm.
Jayadev Gall alleged that the detention is politically motivated. He said, “This is nothing short of fascism and it smacks of emergency like situation in the country. PM Modi is trying to influence the elections by selectively targeting the TDP leaders of Andhra Pradesh for the elections.”
The raids and the disappearance of the accountant raged TDP leader. The leader along with hundreds of workers and followers staged a protest in the office of the district collector. A complaint was filed in the local police station. The TDP leader staged a dharna at Pattabhiram junction in Guntur, protesting against the alleged detention of his company official.
The TDP leaders accused the ruling party and Narendra Modi of indulging in the witch-hunt of the politicians against him. They alleged that the raids are being conducted at the behest of the ruling party. Narendra Modi is targeting the politicians of Andhra Pradesh.
A similar accusation was made by the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath when his close aides’ house was raided by the Income Tax Department claiming that no such raids have taken place at the residences of BJP leaders and ministers.
ALSO, READ
Jayadev Galla, TDP candidate from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh undergoes I-T Department raids
Lok Sabha results on May 28 if Supreme Court demands 50% VVPAT verification : EC