Chennai, Dec 21Income Tax (IT) department officials on Wednesday raided the house of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P.Rama Mohana Rao.

"The raids have commenced at Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary's residence," a senior IT official told IANS.

The IT department recently seized a total of 177 kg of gold and cash amounting to Rs.96 crore in withdrawn 500 and 1,000 rupee notes and Rs.34 crore in the new denomination from three businessmen -- J. Shekhar Reddy, Srinivasalu and Prem.

The big fish is said to be Reddy, a contractor and who has executed works for the Tamil Nadu government.