A city court in Vijayawada has remanded Kalingiri Shanti, an Assistant Commissioner in the Andhra Pradesh Endowments Department, to judicial custody until April 21. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Shanti following raids at locations associated with her, suspecting her of accumulating wealth beyond her legitimate income sources. The ACB seized various assets during the raids, including a residential flat, gold ornaments, silver articles, cash, and vehicles.
ACB officials conducted extensive searches in Tadepalli, Undavalli, and Visakhapatnam for about 10 hours, uncovering incriminating documents and assets. The agency initiated a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case against Shanti under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Shanti, who joined the Endowments Department in 2020 through the Andhra Pradesh State Public Service Commission, had been suspended previously for alleged irregularities during the TDP-led coalition government’s tenure.
Shanti’s suspension was lifted recently, and she was awaiting a new assignment. The government had launched a departmental inquiry into the allegations against her, including aspects of her recruitment process. Further searches and asset valuations were ongoing, with Shanti having a bank locker in Vijayawada.
