I-T raid on Congres candidates’ houses, offices across Telangana

Hyderabad: Telangana's richest contesting candidate from Congress, G Vivek, and his brother Vinod, who was also fighting elections, were under IT and ED scanners. The Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials conducted raids on the houses and offices of the two leaders in Hyderabad, Bellampally, and Mancherial Chennur Assembly segments.

The IT and ED were reportedly investigating a Rs 8 crore cash transfer from Visaka Industries, which Vivek owns, to V Vigilance Company in Ramagundam. Employees of Vivek's company were caught with Rs 50 lakh cash four days ago. The agency has taken up the probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Along with Vivek's residences, IT officials are also searching the residences of his brother Vinod, son, daughter, relatives, and followers with four teams.

G Vivek is the richest MLA candidate in Telangana, with assets worth over Rs 600 crore. His movable assets are valued at Rs 377 crore, mostly in the form of shares in his company, Visaka Industries. The election affidavit disclosed that the family's immovable assets are valued at Rs 225 crore. He recently quit the BJP and joined the Congress party to contest from the Chennur Assembly constituency. Vinod was contesting from the Bellampalli Assembly segment.