I'm still chief secretary, says Tamil Nadu bureaucrat P Rama Mohana Rao

'I'm still chief secretary,' says Tamil Nadu top bureaucrat P Rama Mohana Rao who was removed from his post after tax raids at his residence, office and several other locations.

The former Tamil Nadu chief secretary Rao also told the media that his life was in danger and that the raids were "constitutional assault".

Rao has claimed that he has been targeted as there was no reason to put him under house arrest.

While addressing the media, he added that if former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was alive such an incident wouldn't have taken place.

Around Rs 30 lakh in new Rs 2,000 currency notes, 5 kg gold and documents with details of undisclosed assets worth around Rs 5 crore were reportedly recovered during raids carried out at 11 places, including Rao's residence and office, his son Vivek's residence and the latter's in-law's residence in Chitoor, Andhra Pradesh.

Income Tax officials assisted by paramilitary forces conducted the raid at Rao's residence in Chennai's Anna Nagar at 5:30 am on 21 December.

According to The Indian Express, raids were also conducted at the houses of Rao's son in Thiruvanmiyur and daughter in Manapakkam, near the Chennai international airport.

The raids continued till night.

The raids were linked to the seizure of Rs 132 crore cash and 177 kg gold from mining baron Shekhar Reddy earlier this month. According to the report, some documents seized from Reddy's premises had details linked to Rao.

The CBI has filed an FIR against Reddy, his relative K Srinivasulu, and Premkumar, an agent who allegedly exchanged old notes for gold bars, reports Express.

Around 20 days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced scrapping of high value currency notes, the police and Income Tax department started a drive against people hoarding illegal cash.