ED seizes Rs 441 crore assets in Andhra Pradesh liquor scam case | India News
HYDERABAD: In a major development in the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam, the city wing of Enforcement Directorate attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs 441 crore belonging to the accused, their family members, and associated entities.The assets belong to Kesireddy Rajasekhar Reddy, his family and related entities; Booneti Chanakya and related entities; Donthireddy Vasudeva Reddy, relatives and related entities , and others.The properties – attached under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act – include bank accounts, fixed deposits, land parcels and other immovable assets. Investigators have so far traced money trail of Rs 1,048 crore in form of kickbacks that distilleries were allegedly compelled to pay. These payments were made in cash and gold, and through control of certain distilleries by the syndicate, apart from financial gains derived from liquor transportation. ED initiated its probe based on FIR registered by Andhra Pradesh CID.According to ED, Rajasekhar Reddy, along with other members of a liquor syndicate, orchestrated a multi-crore scam in the liquor procurement and distribution system in the state. The fraud involved manipulation of the procurement process of Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited, leading to an estimated loss of nearly Rs 3,500 crore to the state exchequer.Proceeds of the crime were allegedly laundered and distributed among syndicate members, ED said. Entities like Adan Distillery Private Ltd, Leela Distilleries Private Ltd and UV Distilleries were operated under effective control of the syndicate and granted disproportionately high business volumes by abusing political and administrative influence, ED said.
