Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Hyderabad unit on Thursday, September 18 conducted raids in Telangana and other states in connection with the liquor scam in Andhra Pradesh.
The AP liquor scam is worth Rs 3,500 crore, and the raids are being conducted at 20 locations, including AP, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Delhi NCR.
Office premises of individuals accused of facilitating kickback payments through bogus and inflated invoices were raided.
On September 7, three accused arrested in connection with the AP liquor scam were granted bail by a local court in the neighbouring state. The three persons identified as Dhanunjaya Reddy, Krishna Mohan Reddy and Balaji Govindappa were accused in the alleged Rs 3,500-crore liquor scam during the previous YSRCP government’s rule.
Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Andhra Pradesh police, formed to probe the alleged scam, had arrested Dhanunjaya Reddy and Krishna Mohan Reddy on May 16, while Balaji Govindappa was picked up from Mysuru on May 13.
YSRCP leader and former minister Ambati Rambabu alleged that their release was intentionally delayed by a few hours.
“The superintendent was instructed by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh not to release the accused until the High Court decision, as a house motion petition was filed,” Rambabu told reporters.
The YSRCP leader said that the party leaders reached the jail at 6:30 am, but were informed that the jail superintendent was “on the way” and release was delayed for hours.
“One of the family members collapsed due to stress and was taken to a hospital as the relatives and supporters continued to wait outside the prison,” he said.
Govindappa said that despite the local court’s order, their release was delayed and they had been kept waiting since 6 am inside the jail.
“There is no respect towards the court order, and this was an intentionally done delay,” Govindappa told reporters after his release.
With inputs from PTI
