Chennai, Dec 27 (IANS): Former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao on Monday asserted that he continued to hold the post of Chief Secretary, and claimed the Tamil Nadu government did not serve him any transfer orders.
"This government has no guts to serve the copy of the transfer order," Rao thundered at his Anna Nagar residence here.
Expressing his anger at Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam-led state government, Rao said had the late J. Jayalalithaa been alive the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would never have entered the state secretariat.
Speaking to the media here, Rao also denied that the state government served him any transfer orders.
Rao is under Income Tax scanner and his residence and office were searched by Income Tax officials on December 21, and the search only concluded the next day.
The state government appointed Girija Vaidyanathan as the new Chief Secretary in Rao's place.
According to Rao, the central government could have asked the state government to transfer him before the IT officials began their search operations.
He said he had always followed Jayalalithaa's orders and it was she who trained him for the past for several years.
"At gun point they entered my house. I was under house arrest," Rao said, referring to the gun-totting CRPF personnel who were deployed at his residence to escort the IT officials.
Charging the Income Tax officials of entering his residence and his office in the state secretariat without any authorisation, Rao said: "The search warrant was in the name of my son, Vivek Papisetty."
Rao questioned as to how IT officials could search the office of the Chief Secretary without due authorisation.
"Did they get the permission of Chief Minister, Home Secretary for searching the Chief Secretary's office?" Rao said.
Tax officials also raided the premises of Rao's son Papisetty's and those connected with the duo.
Rao thanked Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for charging the Centre of raiding the constitutional authorities in the states.
I-T raids constitutional assault on Chief Secy's office: Rao
Chennai, Dec 27 (PTI): Sacked Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao today claimed he still continues to hold the post, saying no transfer order had been served on him and described the Income Tax raids at his premises here as a "constitutional assault" on the top office.
Rao also denied having any links with arrested sand mining baron Shekher Reddy.
A combative Rao, who claimed the I-T search warrant did not have his name, repeatedly invoked the legacy of former Chief Minister, the late J Jayalalithaa, and asked if raids would have occurred at his office had she been alive.
Addressing a packed press conference at his Anna Nagar residence, where the tax men swooped down early morning last week, he said all they could find was Rs 1,12,320 in cash, 40 to 50 sovereigns of gold "on person" of his wife and daughter and 20-25 kg of silver articles, including idols of gods.
No incriminating documents were found from there, he claimed.
"I was under house arrest by CRPF. It is a constitutional assault on the office of Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu. I was Chief Secretary, I am the Chief Secretary. This government has no guts to serve the copy of the transfer order to me. I claim I still am the Chief Secretary appointed by Puratchi Thalaivi Amma (Jayalalithaa)", he said.
Rao, who thanked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, besides some AIADMK leaders, asked if Income Tax authorities had obtained permission from Chief Minister O Panneerselvam to conduct searches, especially at his office.
"And what is the Chief Secretary's chamber it is the secrets of various Chief Ministers, their decisions, their orders and confidential reports, criminal cases filed against ministers, IPS and IAS officers.
"What did they find my MRC club membership which I never visited and some loose sheets.... is it not a constitutional violation? Is it not a constitutional assault? Where is the state government...if honourable Madam (Jayalalithaa) was alive would anybody have the guts to enter the state secretariat," he said.
The former Chief Secretary said even his son, the target of I-T raids, was not living with him ever since his return from the U.S.
"I am being targeted. My life is in danger," he claimed, adding he has no business links with Reddy.
"I have thousands of friends in Tamil Nadu...I have nothing to do with Reddy or his business. He may be a businessman, known to me. I have been in Tamil Nadu for 31 years," he said.
Rao alleged that "there is no security in Tamil Nadu" in the absence of Jayalalithaa.