Tamil Nadu govt removes Rama Mohana Rao after IT raids, appoints Girija Vaidyanathan as new Chief Secretary

Chennai: The government of Tamil Nadu on Thursday removed state's Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao, a day after his residence and offices were raided by the Income Tax (IT) officials. 

News agency PTI reported that Girija Vaidyanathan has been named the new Chief Secretary of the state.

#GirijaVaidyanathan appointed new Tamil Nadu #ChiefSecretary in place of #PRamaMohanaRao. — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2016

News agency ANI also confirmed the development through a tweet. 

#FLASH: Girija Vaidyanathan,IAS transferred and posted as Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu Government in place of P Rama Mohana Rao pic.twitter.com/A1PDOZ6twf

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 22, 2016

During the 24-hour long raid, the IT officials reportedly recovered Rs 30 lakh cash in new notes and 5 kgs of gold besides getting "disclosure" about Rs 5 crore of unaccounted income.

Rs 96 crore in old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes was also seized, reports said.

The IT officials had raided Rao's residence on Wednesday morning. The raid ended after 24 hours.

According to IT sources, around 100 Income Tax sleuths conducted raids at the office and the residence of the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, his son Vivek and some relatives in Chennai and Chittoor in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The raids come as a huge embarrassment for the AIADMK government and Sasikala as Rao was the to bureaucrat in the administration. He holds the additional charge of Vigilance Commissioner and the Commissioner for Administrative Reforms.

Rao was appointed to the post overlooking the seniority of several IAS officials.

The IT action came in connection with a case related to the biggest cash haul of new notes post demonetisation after the department raided some sand mining operators of Tamil Nadu here.

(With PTI/IANS inputs)