A tale of two diaries and a gutka scam
TNN | Sep 6, 2018, 06.19 AM IST
CHENNAI: Two diaries seized by income tax investigation officials during a search on illegal gutka dealer Madhava Rao in July 2016 exposed a nexus involving state’s health minister C Vijaya Baskar, former Chennai city police commissioners T K Rajendran and S George, many of their subordinates and officials working in many state and central government departments.
The residence of DGP T K Rajendran in Mogappair was also searched
What could have been shrugged off as a mere income tax evasion case against the illegal dealer gained impairing ramifications for Baskar and the mighty in the state police department when former principal director of I-T investigation B R Balakrishnan shot off a letter to the then chief secretary Rama Mohana Rao in August 2016, detailing the contents of the diaries. Sources said the diaries threw light on Madhava Rao’s monthly payments to the minister and officials, totalling about Rs 40 crore over many months.
Balakrishnan’s letter to the chief secretary said, “In the case of alleged payments connected with state administration which were handed over to you, action as deemed fit may kindly be taken by the state administration.”
While the chief secretary sat on the file, the then DGP Ashok Kumar, who came to know about the case, sought a meeting with Balakrishnan and requested him to send a copy of the letter to him as well. On receipt of the letter, Kumar swung into action by seeking to initiate a probe against all those who were involved, especially the police officials. He sent a detailed note to the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa, recommending action against a host of IPS and non-IPS officials. Jayalalithaa, however, was not inclined to axe some of her trusted lieutenants, especially Rajendran and George. The disgrace the issue could have brought to her government also weighed heavily on her mind, sources said. Instead of taking action on Ashok Kumar’s report, she took action against him. He was given marching orders before the completion of his tenure. It was left to the I-T officials once again to unearth Kumar’s report, and it was found in Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala’s room at Veda Nilayam in Poes Garden during searches on the premises a year ago.
Baskar, by then, had gained a prominent place on the I-T radar. His name figured once again during the searches conducted on sand mining baron Sekhar Reddy during the demonetisation days. Finally, in the run-up to the R K Nagar byelection, Baskar’s house was searched by I-T officials in April 2017. Seizure of some documents from his house relating to money distribution to R K Nagar electorate led to the rescinding of the bypoll.
TNN | Sep 6, 2018, 06.19 AM IST
CHENNAI: Two diaries seized by income tax investigation officials during a search on illegal gutka dealer Madhava Rao in July 2016 exposed a nexus involving state’s health minister C Vijaya Baskar, former Chennai city police commissioners T K Rajendran and S George, many of their subordinates and officials working in many state and central government departments.
The residence of DGP T K Rajendran in Mogappair was also searched
What could have been shrugged off as a mere income tax evasion case against the illegal dealer gained impairing ramifications for Baskar and the mighty in the state police department when former principal director of I-T investigation B R Balakrishnan shot off a letter to the then chief secretary Rama Mohana Rao in August 2016, detailing the contents of the diaries. Sources said the diaries threw light on Madhava Rao’s monthly payments to the minister and officials, totalling about Rs 40 crore over many months.
Balakrishnan’s letter to the chief secretary said, “In the case of alleged payments connected with state administration which were handed over to you, action as deemed fit may kindly be taken by the state administration.”
While the chief secretary sat on the file, the then DGP Ashok Kumar, who came to know about the case, sought a meeting with Balakrishnan and requested him to send a copy of the letter to him as well. On receipt of the letter, Kumar swung into action by seeking to initiate a probe against all those who were involved, especially the police officials. He sent a detailed note to the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa, recommending action against a host of IPS and non-IPS officials. Jayalalithaa, however, was not inclined to axe some of her trusted lieutenants, especially Rajendran and George. The disgrace the issue could have brought to her government also weighed heavily on her mind, sources said. Instead of taking action on Ashok Kumar’s report, she took action against him. He was given marching orders before the completion of his tenure. It was left to the I-T officials once again to unearth Kumar’s report, and it was found in Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala’s room at Veda Nilayam in Poes Garden during searches on the premises a year ago.
Baskar, by then, had gained a prominent place on the I-T radar. His name figured once again during the searches conducted on sand mining baron Sekhar Reddy during the demonetisation days. Finally, in the run-up to the R K Nagar byelection, Baskar’s house was searched by I-T officials in April 2017. Seizure of some documents from his house relating to money distribution to R K Nagar electorate led to the rescinding of the bypoll.
What could have been shrugged off as a mere income tax evasion case against the illegal dealer gained impairing ramifications for Baskar and the mighty in the state police department when former principal director of I-T investigation B R Balakrishnan shot off a letter to the then chief secretary Rama Mohana Rao in August 2016, detailing the contents of the diaries. Sources said the diaries threw light on Madhava Rao’s monthly payments to the minister and officials, totalling about Rs 40 crore over many months.
Balakrishnan’s letter to the chief secretary said, “In the case of alleged payments connected with state administration which were handed over to you, action as deemed fit may kindly be taken by the state administration.”
While the chief secretary sat on the file, the then DGP Ashok Kumar, who came to know about the case, sought a meeting with Balakrishnan and requested him to send a copy of the letter to him as well. On receipt of the letter, Kumar swung into action by seeking to initiate a probe against all those who were involved, especially the police officials. He sent a detailed note to the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa, recommending action against a host of IPS and non-IPS officials. Jayalalithaa, however, was not inclined to axe some of her trusted lieutenants, especially Rajendran and George. The disgrace the issue could have brought to her government also weighed heavily on her mind, sources said. Instead of taking action on Ashok Kumar’s report, she took action against him. He was given marching orders before the completion of his tenure. It was left to the I-T officials once again to unearth Kumar’s report, and it was found in Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala’s room at Veda Nilayam in Poes Garden during searches on the premises a year ago.
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