Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials raided the residence of former DMHO P. Sambashiva Rao, who was suspended recently after facing allegations of illegalities in the purchase of 108 ambulances, on Thursday morning.

He was arrested in the evening after the ACB team found disproportionate assets amounting to several crores including gold and silver. Mr Rao is set to retire in a month.

Five ACB teams simultaneously raided Mr Rao’s residence and his relatives’ houses in Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Hyderabad. A college on Mulugu Road, in which Mr Rao is a partner, was also raided.
ACB officials said they had found important documents showing assets disproportionate to Mr Rao’s known sources of income.

“Five teams conducted raids in Sambashiva Rao’s residence in Hanamkonda and his relatives’ houses. We found property documents amounting to several crores at his residence,” said ACB Deputy Superintendent of police Saibaba.

Mr Rao, who was considered to be the Man Friday of former deputy Chief Minister Dr T. Rajaiah, had always been embroiled in controversies. He was allegedly appointed as the director of the Health and Medical department of Telangana State  as per the recommendation of Dr Rajaiah.

After the removal of Dr Rajaiah, Mr Rao was also demoted to the post of DMHO in Warangal due to charges of negligence on the swine flu issue and for earlier corruption charges he was facing.
In Warangal too, he was accused of being involved in irregularities during the purchase of 108 emergency vehicles. Mr Rao was recently suspended due to this.