Andhra Pradesh Liquor Scam: Ex Bureaucrats Appear Before SIT For Second Day

(MENAFN- IANS) Vijayawada, May 15 (IANS) K. Dhanunjaya Reddy, a retired IAS officer and former secretary of former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and Krishna Mohan Reddy, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD), appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Andhra Pradesh liquor scam, for the second day on Thursday.

The SIT officials were questioning former bureaucrats about the recipients of kickbacks from the distillery companies. The SIT had questioned them on Wednesday and directed them to appear the next day.

Dhanunjaya Reddy and Krishna Mohan Reddy are accused numbers 31 and 32, respectively, in the case.

They, along with another accused Govindappa Balaji were directed to appear before the SIT on Monday, but they skipped the appearance.

On May 7, the Andhra Pradesh High Court rejected their anticipatory bail pleas, citing the preliminary stage of the investigation into the alleged scam of Rs 3,200 crore.

The SIT arrested Balaji, Director of Bharathi Cements Corporation, in Karnataka on Tuesday. He was brought to Vijayawada and produced before the ACB Court, which remanded him to judicial custody till May 20.

Balaji, alleged to be a close aide of Jagan, is listed as accused number 33 in the case, who "distributed kickbacks" among liquor syndicate members through shell companies.

Meanwhile, intensifying the probe into the alleged scam that took place during YSR Congress Party rule, the SIT on Thursday took accused number 6, Sajjala Sridhar Reddy, into custody for questioning.

After a court granted three-day police custody of Sridhar Reddy, the SIT officials took him into custody from Vijayawada jail.

Sridhar Reddy, who is also the managing director of Spy Agro Industries, along with other accused, allegedly participated in the meetings conducted on the liquor policy.

He is alleged to have played a key role in mediating between the owners of various distillery companies, officers of Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) and the Prohibition and Excise Department and the YSR Congress party leaders and in receiving kickbacks.

There are allegations that the YSR Congress Party leaders encouraged a new liquor policy, floated new brands during YSRCP rule, received kickbacks from the distillery companies and caused huge losses to the government.

Raj Kasireddy, the prime accused in the case, was allegedly handing over the bribe to the trio after collecting from the owners of the liquor companies.

The SIT on April 21 arrested Kasireddy, who allegedly played a key role in the alleged illegal collection of nearly Rs 3,000 crore over a five-year period. He was the IT advisor to Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The TDP-led NDA government constituted the SIT in November last year to investigate the allegations of irregularities and corruption in Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) under the YSRCP tenure.

The TDP leaders alleged that some YSRCP leaders had links with the liquor manufacturers; they floated shell companies and made illegal money.

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