Dharmasthala horror: Karnataka government sets up SIT to probe the case
The SIT, headed by top police officer P. Mohanty, will now investigate these decades-old allegations. This move comes amid calls for a court-monitored probe to ensure a fair investigation and prevent witness intimidation. Additionally, a political storm is brewing in Andhra Pradesh, where former Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has been named in the CID's remand report concerning an alleged ₹3,200 crore liquor scam. In other news, the Enforcement Directorate has summoned Tollywood stars including Rana Daggubati and Vijay Devrakonda for promoting illegal betting apps, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has been hospitalised after experiencing mild giddiness.
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
AP cops seize 11 cr in boxes from city farmhouse in liquor scam raid
Vijayawada: In a pre-dawn raid on a farmhouse in Hyderabad, the AP special investigation team (SIT) on Wednesday seized Rs 11 crore concealed in boxes, allegedly linked to the multi-crore liquor scam in Andhra Pradesh. The raid was conducted at the farmhouse located at Kacharam village in Shamshabad in the city following confession by a businessman, Varun Purushottam, one of the key accused in the case. The SIT is investigating the alleged liquor scam that occurred during the YSRCP govt between 2019 and 2024. As many as 40 people including a few senior politicians have been named in the Rs 3,500 crore scam. According to SIT sources, Varun, who was taken into custody, admitted to having hidden the cash in June 2024 in the farmhouse following the instructions of the prime accused, Raj Kasireddy, who was IT advisor to former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and Booneti Chanakya, accused No. 8 in the case. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad The money was packed in 12 cardboard boxes and labelled as office files to avoid suspicion. The amount was concealed at the farmhouse with the help of a man identified as Vinay. Acting on Varun's statement, SIT officials conducted a search at Sulochana Farms guest house at Kacharam. The property, officially registered under the name of Teegala Bali Reddy, was allegedly used as a cover for storing the illicit cash. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is this legal? Access all TV channels without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo This is the first seizure of cash stash in the liquor case. The Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money laundering angle in the case, has sought details of the money seizure from the farmhouse, from the AP SIT. A senior SIT official said Varun was examined and his confession was recorded. Later, he was arrested. The SIT is likely to take Chanakya into custody again for further interrogation to examine the role of Vinay in assisting with the concealment of the cash and other related activities. Further questioning is underway to establish the source of the funds and to identify others involved in the money laundering and storage process. This seizure marks a significant development in the multi-crore liquor scam. Preliminary SIT findings suggest irregularities amounting to over Rs 3,500 crore. Several high-ranking individuals, including YSRCP MP PV Midhun Reddy, have already been arrested for their alleged role, and the SIT is believed to have gathered crucial information implicating key political figures. The agency continues to conduct raids at various locations in Hyderabad linked to the accused. Officials expect more disclosures in the coming days, including possible arrests of influential figures involved in the operation and cover-up of the alleged liquor syndicate. Kasireddy files affidavit in court Meanwhile, Raj Kasireddy filed an affidavit in a court in Vijayawada on Wednesday, denying any connection to the Rs 11 crore seized by the SIT. He stated that the allegations made by the SIT were baseless and untrue. He clarified that the farmhouse owner, Teegala Vijayananda Reddy, son of Bali Reddy, operates multiple businesses, including an engineering college, hospitals, and diagnostic centres, with a turnover running into hundreds of crores. Kasireddy emphasised that neither he nor his wife has any significant involvement in these ventures. He said that his wife holds only a minimal stake in Arete Hospital and has no further connection to Teegala Vijayananda Reddy's businesses. Kasireddy said, "The money seized by the SIT has no relation to me whatsoever." He further stated that there is a deliberate conspiracy to prevent him from securing bail. The Scam According to the chargesheet filed by the SIT, a system of kickbacks was in place where favoured companies allegedly paid bribes in exchange for preferential treatment in liquor supply and sales, causing a significant loss to the state govt. The alleged kickbacks, reportedly amounting to around Rs 3,500 crore, were collected from distillery companies and channelled through a network of individuals, shell companies, and possibly through hawala transactions both domestically and internationally. Popular liquor brands were allegedly phased out from the market, creating space for new, local brands, which in turn were reportedly favoured under the system. The chargesheet also mentioned YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as a "final recipient" of kickbacks, though he is not currently named as an accused.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Cop Father Of Man Who Allegedly Killed Dalit Techie In Tamil Nadu Arrested
Chennai: In a major breakthrough in the alleged honour killing of Dalit techie Kavin Selvaganesh, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested sub-inspector Saravanan, the father of the main accused Surjith, who had earlier been arrested for allegedly murdering Kavin for being in a relationship with his sister. This arrest comes amid sustained protests by the victim's family and public outrage over what they see as a premeditated caste-based murder involving police complicity. Kavin, a 23-year-old software engineer from the Scheduled Castes community, was murdered in Tirunelveli district, reportedly by Surjith, who was upset about his sister's relationship with Kavin. The woman is a Siddha doctor belonging to a dominant upper caste in the hierarchy and worked at a local Siddha centre, where the incident unfolded. Surjith, allegedly caught on CCTV taking Kavin away on his bike, was arrested soon after the murder. Police invoked sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, charged him for murder, and later slapped the Goonda Act on him. As the investigation progressed, suspicion grew over the role of his parents - both serving police officers - in abetting or orchestrating the crime. Now, sub-inspector Saravanan, Surjith's father, has been arrested for his alleged role in the murder. The case has been transferred to the CB-CID to ensure impartiality, and both Saravanan and his wife had earlier been suspended from duty. However, Kavin's family has refused to accept his body, demanding the arrest of Saravanan's wife, also a sub-inspector, alleging she too was involved. Actor-politician Kamal Haasan condemned the killing, calling for stringent punishment and a united political front to fight casteism. This case has sparked widespread debate in Tamil Nadu on caste, honour crimes, and police accountability. As the CB-CID investigates further, the demand for justice continues to grow louder - not just from Kavin's family, but from citizens and political voices across the state.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Yuri alleges multi-crore scam in which buildings are inserted in survey plans
Porvorim: Opposition leader Yuri Alemao on Wednesday alleged a multi-crore scam in the directorate of settlement and land records amounting to Rs 300 crore. Department officials inserted over 400 structures into survey plans to facilitate development in CRZ and no-development zones, he said. Alemao demanded that a judicial inquiry be ordered, headed by a retired judge, and an SIT be set up to examine this process. He said an FIR should be filed and the officials involved should be suspended. 'I demand that govt issue a white paper on the insertion of doubtful structures. These entries must be frozen, and the TCP department, panchayats and CRZ authorities should be subjected to re-verification,' he said. While CM Pramod Sawant said he would conduct an inquiry, revenue minister Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate said that the structures included in the survey plan were reverted and govt would conduct an inquiry. He said lower staff did the mischief of inserting the structures on the survey plan. Earlier, Alemao said, 'A multi-crore land scam has unfolded... The directorate of settlement and land records... is at the centre of large-scale manipulation. This racket involves the fraudulent insertion of structures into official survey plans using BhuNaksha software.' He alleged that more than 400 structures were added predominantly in CRZ and the prime coastal belt using digital tools. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How to Ease Knee Pain Without Injections or Side Effects Read More Undo These were illegally added to survey plans without physical verification or following any transparent and legal protocol. 'The going rate for one plot is said to be over Rs 1 crore for 300-400sqm plots, making this a Rs 300-crore scam. Private parties used this insertion to repair and construct by falsely presenting them as pre-existing structures,' Alemao said.
