I-T raid at TN Chief Secy’s home vindictive, unethical: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday criticised the I-T raid at the residence of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao, saying such a “vindictive and unethical” act by the central agencies devalues the institution of head of the civil service.

“Why this vindictive, unethical, technically improper action? Is it only to disturb the federal structure? Why do not they raid Amit Shah and others...,” she said in a statement. Banerjee said corruption needs to be strongly condemned, but “the raid on Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary by central agencies devalues the institution of head of the civil service”.

“The proper procedure should have been to take the state leadership into confidence and removing him from the post prior to any preemptive action, based on information,” she said. “Earlier, the Principal Secretary of Arvind Kejriwal was raided and harassed. Now I read Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu has also been raided,” Banerjee said. The Income-Tax department on Wednesday conducted searches at over a dozen locations in connection with its tax evasion probe against the son and few other relatives of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary 

P Rama Mohana Rao. It is understood that the official residence of the Chief Secretary in Chennai was also raided. M K Stalin, leader of main Opposition party DMK, said the “unprecendented” raids had “brought shame for Tamil Nadu.” Stalin further added: “Corrupt officers and those behind them shouldn’t be allowed to escape.”