CBDT denies raiding premises of TDP MP Galla Jayadev

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Wednesday denied to have carried out searches in the premises of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) sitting MP from Guntur, Galla Jayadev.

"No premise of the MP candidate Galla Jayadev was searched," Y D Sharma, Commissioner of Income Tax and official spokesperson of CBDT said in a statement.

He further said that the residence of Gurappa Naidu was searched by the Income Tax Department on Tuesday after information was received on a toll-free-number that cash was kept at his residence.

According to the Income Tax Department, Rs 45.4 lakh cash was seized.

"An information had been received on toll-free-number that cash was kept at the residence of Gurappa Naidu which was to be used in the General Elections," the statement said.

"It was only at the time of recording his statement late in the night that he (Gurappa Naidu) revealed that he was giving services to Galla Jayadaev, MP, TDP also in his capacity as a cost accountant," the statement added.

On Monday, it was reported that I-T sleuths had conducted raids in the offices of Galla Jayadev, sitting TDP MP from Guntur.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday staged a protest in front of the Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi's office here to protest the "illegal and unethical" I-T raids on his party leaders.

Election to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to be held on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls on April 11. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.