High tension prevailed on Rd. No 22 Jubilee Hills here late on Friday when activists of the Congress party confronted the police alleging that the latter helped personnel of a retired bureaucrat escape the residence even as searches were in progress for alleged hoarding of huge cash.
At least three personnel who were in plain clothes left on motorcycles without registration plates, they alleged. The police resorted to mild lathi charge to restore order as the activists attempted blocking the personnel. Videos of related incidents went viral on social media.
Chaos unfolded as flying squad teams of the Election Commission, Income Tax and Election officials entered the residence of retired bureaucrat A.K. Goel for searches, based on a complaint that the house was a dump for huge cash allegedly for distribution by BRS during elections.
A 1974-batch IAS officer, Mr. Goel retired in 2010 and joined the Bharata Rashtra Samithi (then Telangana Rashtra Samithi). He was appointed as advisor (planning) to the TRS government in 2014.
Personnel of the paramilitary force and the local police guarded the residence as flying squads continued searches inside. Soon Congress activists from Jubilee Hills and the neighbouring Khairatabad constituencies rushed to Rd. H 22 for protests.
Telangana Congress vice president Mallu Ravi and party’s contestant for the Jubilee Hills constituency Md. Azharuddin also reached the site and demanded explanation from the police about seizures made in the raids.
“We have information that Plot no 355/1 on Rd. No 22 is a dump for BRS money of about Rs. 200 cr. It may be the BRS party strategy that hiding the money at retired IAS officer’s house for later distribution would not lead to any suspicion for others. The searches are based on the Congress party’s petition to the EC,” Mr. Ravi said.
Published - November 25, 2023 07:10 am IST
