Andhra Pradesh forms SIT to probe corruption in liquor sales during YSRCP term
Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further investigate the allegations of irregularities and corruption in Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) under the YSR Congress Party’s tenure.
The seven-member SIT has been constituted to investigate irregularities from October 2019 to March 2024.
NTR Police Commissioner, Vijayawada, SV Rajasekhar Babu will head the SIT. Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force SP L Subbarayudu, Additional SPs Kolli Srinivas and R Srihari Babu, DSP P Srinivas, Inspectors of Police K Sivaji and Ch Naga Srinivas are the members of SIT. The Chief Secretary has issued an order in this regard.
Earlier, a case was registered at the CID Police Station based on a complaint lodged by the Principal Secretary (Revenue, VIG IV) Dept) alleging irregularities and corruption in APSBCL during 2019-2024.
Responding to the request of the Director General of Police to further investigate the case, the government set up SIT. It will function under the control, supervision and directions of the DGP.
The case at the CID Police Station was registered on September 2024 under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
In July 2024, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered CID into the excise policy during the YSRCP rule. Releasing a White Paper in the Legislative Assembly, he termed it one of the biggest scams in Andhra Pradesh.
CM Naidu stated that of the retail sales worth Rs 99,413 crore in the last five years, digital payments were made only in respect of sales costing Rs 615 crore.
The Chief Minister told the Assembly that the government would also refer the irregularities in cash transactions to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
He alleged that then Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had floated benami distilleries and procured sub-standard liquor and beers from them through the APSBCL.
“Due to the flawed and inconsistent policy brought by Jagan Mohan Reddy, the State exchequer suffered loss of more than Rs 18,860 crore between 2019-24,” CM Naidu said.
Interestingly, when YSRCP was in power a case was registered against Chandrababu Naidu for alleged involvement in the liquor scam during TDP rule (2014-2019).
In October 2023, the CID registered a case against Naidu alleging that he was involved in a liquor scam during his previous tenure by granting permission to certain distilleries.
The case under various Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 was registered on a complaint lodged by D. Vasudeva Reddy, then Commissioner of Distilleries and Breweries, and Managing Director of APSBCL.
I.S. Naresh, a bureaucrat, was named accused number one in the case, former Minister and TDP senior leader Kollu Ravindra as accused number two and Chandrababu Naidu as accused number three.
The FIR alleged that between 2014 and 2019, certain glaring policy decisions came to light, which had the effect of reducing the revenues for the State and benefitting the licensees. It was also found that contrary to the recommendations of the committee constituted for the purpose of the State government, a few distilleries were favoured by giving Letters of Intent (LOI).