In the wake of alleged seizure of a huge amount of cash and gold from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's member J Sekhar Reddy’s premises, the Chennai-based businessman is expected to be expelled from the Board of Trustees.
According to the officials here, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu today issued directions to the officials in this regard.
In an apparent gaffe, the state Information and Public Relations Department earlier in the day sent out a communication saying Reddy had been removed from the Board by issuing a `GO' (Government Order). Later, it was clarified that CM had asked officials to remove Reddy from the TTD Board and there was no GO.
The Income Tax Department yesterday said it had seized unaccounted assets worth over Rs 142 crore -- including about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg --during searches at multiple locations in Chennai.
S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, had claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and was being questioned along with few other people, it said.
The I&PR Department sent out a communication to the media around noon saying a "Government Order" was issued removing Sekhar Reddy as the member of TTD Board of Trustees. However, an hour later, another message was sent saying only "Chief Minister asked officials" to remove the businessman from the TTD Board.
When asked about it, an official of I&PR Department admitted to the gaffe.
(With inputs from PTI)
