The Anti-Corruption Bureau has submitted its interim report on the raids it had conducted recently on the liquor syndicates to the High Court in a sealed cover.
Meanwhile, the High Court posted the hearing on TDP’s petition challenging the transfer of ACB Joint Director Srinivasa Reddy to a future date.
It may be mentioned here that ACB has conducted raids on liquor syndicates on a direction from the High Court. ACB director general Bhupati Babu set up a Special Investigation team with Srinivasa Reddy as the chief. These raids have created ripples in State politics as one of the arrested syndicate owners has alleged that he had given Rs 5 lakhs to Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana as bribe.
Reports said that ACB found that nearly 100 MLAs of all political parties and several ministers were engaged in the liquor trade. In the raids conducted in the PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana’s native Vizianagaram district, ACB found that several liquor shops were being run by white card holders. It was also alleged that Botcha has a major role in the liquor syndicates of his district. It was in the thick of these allegations and speculations that Srinivasa Reddy was transferred on promotion. Opposition parties screamed fowl by charging that he was transferred under pressures from some of the Congress leaders involved in liquor trade. It was also alleged that the government was trying to dilute the case.
The High Court, which received ACB report, complimented the agency for its good work. The court also directed the government to reconsider its decision to transfer Srinivasa Reddy, stating that it was a hasty decision. The court also directed the government to submit its explanation on the transfer by April 27. The court has directed the ACB to join ranks with the Income Tax department and conduct a detailed investigation into benami transactions. The court also directed the Income Tax department to conduct an investigation on the liquor syndicates, white card holders having liquor business and the benami transactions. The court told the ACB that the agency could directly approach it for any help in future. The court has ordered the ACB to submit its next report by June 11. (NSS)