I-T searches continue for second day on premises of two BRS MLAs

Hyderabad, June 15 (IANS) The searches by the Income Tax department on the premises linked to two MLAs of Telangana's ruling party Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) continued for a second day on Thursday.

The I-T officials continued searches at the residences of MLAs P. Shekhar Reddy and Marri Janardhan Reddy in Hyderabad and at other locations. The searches were also on the offices of various companies owned by them and their family members.

The searches were being conducted at about 60 locations linked to the businesses of the MLAs and their family members.

Shekhar Reddy is MLA from Bhongir constituency while Janardhan Reddy represents Nagarkurnool Assembly constituency.

The officials were reportedly checking the income and income tax payment records.

Meanwhile, supporters of Janardhan Reddy reached his house in Jubilee Hills, where the IT sleuths were carrying out searches. They raised slogans against the BJP-led Union government, alleging that the searches were politically motivated.

Searches were on at the office of JC Brothers, a retail textile chain owned by Janardhan Reddy. The MLA owns JC Brothers Holdings Limited and some infra projects. The I-T officials were reportedly probing suspected tax evasion in retail showrooms and infra projects of JC Brothers.

Similarly, searches also continued on the premises of Vaishnavi Group allegedly linked to Shekhar Reddy. He was previously associated with Theertha Projects and Sri Lorven Syndicate Private Limited.

Theertha Projects is into real estate, software, mining, drilling. The company has a presence in Hyderabad, Karnataka and is also engaged in few projects in African countries.

Reacting to the searches, Janardhan Reddy said on Thursday that the IT officials have seized his mobile phone and behaved in a rude manner with his staff. He said the searches were being conducted since Wednesday morning. The MLA said he was fully cooperating with the IT department.

He questioned if it is written in the Constitution that MLAs can't do business. "We are promptly paying income tax on our businesses. So far we may have paid Rs 200 crore as income tax," Janardhan Reddy said.

The MLA said he purchased a few lands along with P. Shekhar Reddy. He exuded confidence that the IT officials will give them a clean chit after the searches.

Some I-T officials had also visited the house of BRS MP K. Prabhakar Reddy on Wednesday and served a notice. The MP from Medak said that he would reply to the notice as his records are clean.