The ACB has let off MLAs of all major political parties and ministers’ kin involved in the liquor scam after only “questioning” them though evidence suggests that they had taken bribes from liquor syndicates. While the ACB had arrested officials based on records of bribes that were found in liquor syndicate offices across the state, it didn’t act against politicians and their kin though similar evidence was available against them.
The ACB has only recorded the statements of a few MLAs and the kin of ministers but no one has been arrested. It, however, has not been as lenient on excise official, cops and liquor syndicate leaders. TD MLA Sandra Venkat Veeraiah of Sattupally in Khammam district, YSR Congress MLA Chennakeshava Reddy of Yemmigannur, former CPI MLC Puvvada Nageswara Rao, Congress Mahbubabad MLA M. Kavita and TD MLA from Vizag East Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu had appeared before the ACB last month for questioning. All of them had denied allegations against them and they were let off.
However, as per liquor syndicate records, Mr Nageswara Rao had received Rs 3 lakh, Mr Veeraiah had received Rs 1 lakh and Ms Kavita had allegedly collected Rs 4.5 lakh. Even Nunna Venkataramana has been spared in the liquor scam.