Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, June 10, raided properties linked to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader and former Andhra Pradesh minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh in connection with an alleged Rs 349 crore liquor transportation scam.
The searches are part of an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered by the agency into an alleged racket involving the movement of liquor from depots to government retail outlets in Andhra Pradesh. At the centre of the investigation is a centralised liquor transportation tender floated by the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) under its then managing director D Vasudeva Reddy.
Who was raided
Besides Karumuri Nageswara Rao, the ED conducted searches at properties linked to his son Karumuri Sanjay Kumar and the alleged mastermind of the scam, Raj Kasireddy, whose residence in Nanakramguda was also searched.
The agency also raided the Hyderabad residence of former APSBCL managing director Vasudeva Reddy, as well as the Kokapet residence of his brother-in-law Vijay Narasimha Reddy.
Searches were additionally carried out at the residence of Vallu Sandeep, a representative of Sri Sudarshan Firm, which allegedly acted as a mediator in the scam and received Rs 68 crore in the process.
Money trail
The ED has alleged that Karumuri Nageswara Rao and his son received Rs 15 crore through a combination of cash and banking channels from members of the liquor syndicate involved in the transportation scam.
Sigma Supply Chain Solutions Pvt Ltd has also been identified as having been involved in the transportation of liquor, though the agency clarified that no individuals associated with the firm are accused of involvement in the alleged scam.
The agency further claimed that a company called TEKKR was non-existent, and that two persons identified as Sai and Eeswar, linked to the case, are currently absconding.
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