The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court today granted bail to eight officials in the Police department for collecting bribes (Mamools) from the liquor syndicates to overlook the violations of the provisions of A P Excise Act.
The eight officials–Kothagudem OSD Ram Prasad, DSP Vireshwar Rao, Adilabad OSD Uma Maheswar Rao, Hanmakonda Ex-DSP Randir, Kazipet Circle Inspector Vijaya Sarathi, CI Prabhakar Rao, Adilabad Rural CI Sridhar Rao and Kurnool Police Control Room incharge Gunasekhar were arrested on March 11 by the ACB officials after conducting raids at their houses in Kurnool, Adilabad, Warangal and Khammam districts on the information given by Liquor Trader Nunna Ramana, who was arrested in the case, about their alleged involvement in the liquor scam. The IInd Additional Special Judge for ACB Cases, Hyderabad who sent them to 14 days judicial custody on that day, granted bail today. The police officials were also charged for not taking action for violation of Rules by the Wine Shops such as sale of liquor over and above Maximum Retail Price (MRP), loose sale of liquor and opening of liquor shops beyond the prescribed timings, operation of belt shops, sale of Non-Duty paid liquor and thereby making illegal profits causing loss to the state government. The police officials were booked under sections 7, 8,12,13(1) (a) (d) r/w 13 (2) of P.C.Act, 1988 & Sec.120-B,109 r/w 24 IPC for collecting bribes.
The ACB had also registered 24 criminal cases against them on January 25, 2012 based on the scrutiny reports on the data gathered from searches in liquor synidcate office in December, 2011 and executed the arrests during the course of investigation. UNI