Searches by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in Hyderabad revealed a luxury car, expensive watches worth Rs 94.5 lakh, and undisclosed cash linked to the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam. Incriminating documents, including suspicious agreements and unaccounted cash, were seized during the operation. The ED conducted these searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at the premises of several individuals.
Former IT advisor to the Andhra Pradesh government, Raj Kesireddy, and former Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Ltd. (APSBCL), Vasudeva Reddy, were arrested by the ED Hyderabad Zonal Office. They were arrested under the PMLA, 2002, and later sent to judicial custody till June 25. The investigation pointed to Kesireddy as the main figure behind the financial crime related to liquor transportation tenders.
The ED’s investigation revealed that Kesireddy, along with others, manipulated liquor transportation tenders for unlawful gains. The tender conditions were altered in favor of specific entities, leading to significant financial losses. The liquor cartel devised a scheme to profit from liquor transportation, with certain individuals abusing their influence to secure tenders at inflated rates.
–IANS
