BJP Lashes Out At Minister Malla Reddy

BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao today came down heavily on State minister Ch Malla Reddy, asking him why he did not open the doors of his office when the IT officials knocked on them, and why he had hidden his mobile phone in a garbage bin, if he did not have anything to hide from the income tax department.

Referring to the comments of the minister that the IT officials were carrying out a witch-hunting campaign against him, he said that there was nothing called witch-hunting in the work of the IT officers, and that they carried out raids based on the complaints and inputs received by them. He said that all persons were equal before the law of the land, and that he (Rao) too would reply to the notices of IT officials if he received any.

Rao also asked Malla Reddy why he was scared of the IT officials if he had nothing to hide. He said that the minister should not view the IT raids as politically motivated when he himself held a responsible position.

He also derisively said that several leaders were getting admitted in hospitals after receiving notices from the IT department.

Rao asserted that IT raids would continue on those who did not pay taxes while doing mining and pharma businesses.

Meanwhile, IT officials carried out searches at the educational institutions and houses of the relatives of the minister in the city for the second consecutive day today.