Chennai, Dec. 22 (PTI): Girija Vaidyanathan, an Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1981 batch was on Thursday appointed Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, replacing P. Rama Mohana Rao, whose residence and office was raided by the income tax department on Wednesday.

”Dr Girija Vaidyanathan IAS, Additional Chief Secretary/ Commissioner of Land Administration, is transferred and posted as Chief Secretary to Government, vice Dr P. Ramamohana Rao,” a public (Special A) department order dated December 22 said.

The fate of Mohana Rao was not immediately known.

Vaidyanathan, 57, shall also hold full additional charge of the post of vigilance commissioner and commissioner for administrative reforms, previously held by Rao, it said.

The income tax department had carried out searches at over a dozen places in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh against the son and some relatives of Rao, including at Rao's Anna Nagar residence here, during which they claimed to have seized Rs 18 lakh cash and gold bars.