VIJAYAWADA: Sleuths from the income tax department have conducted searches at the properties belonging to a moneylender and unearthed huge amount of unaccounted money.Kandishetti Ramesh alias Palleveedi Ramesh, the moneylender was on the radar of I-T sleuths for the past few months.The I-T officials have documents related to purchase of properties, money he has given to various persons, cash and gold.Sources in the department said that Ramesh was also having properties in the name of his friends and workers. He opened bank accounts for his driver and accountant and transferred about Rs 1 crore into those accounts. Cheques have been issued from those accounts for various purposes that neither his driver not his accountant were aware where the money was spent.The I-T sleuths also found out that one Sri Vani, a family friend and close associate of Ramesh helped him in opening the accounts for his driver and the accountant. She works as an accountant in the Tirupati Urban Co-operative Bank.Ramesh had also bought some properties on her name.The officials found about Rs 40 lakh cash, nearly 3kg gold and promissory notes worth of Rs 4 crore apart from the property documents.He was having four buildings in prime locations in Tirupati town and a carry forward agency. He gives money to realtors and bullion traders.Sources said that the minimum amount Ramesh lends is Rs 15 lakh and it goes up to Rs 1 crore. Officials have seized the documents, cash and gold found in his house. Cases have been filed against him under relevant sections of tax evasion and notices have been issued to him.Sources in Tirupati police department said that Kandishetti Ramesh was reportedly kidnapped by a gang about three months ago. It was learned that he even paid huge ransom to the gang to get released unhurt. He employed private security guards since then.

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