Income Tax officials on Friday searched the homes and offices of Telugu Desam Party MP Nama Nageswara Rao across several cities including Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Hyderabad. Suspecting tax evasion, IT sleuths conducted simultaneous searches at the residences and premises of the companies owned by Rao at Khammam and in major Indian cities.

The searches, which began in the morning, were on until late evening. Nageswara Rao, who represents Khammam constituency, is the leader of the TDP in the Lok Sabha. The Telugu Desam Party reacted sharply to the raids, terming them 'political vendetta'. TDP activists staged a protest at Rao's camp office in Khammam when the IT searches were on. They raised slogans against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government. The TDP leader was not present at the time of the raid.

Published Date : Saturday, 5/2/2011 2:43 PM IST