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YSRCP MP Midhun Reddy arrested in Rs 3,200-crore liquor scam in Andhra

YSRCP MP Midhun Reddy arrested in Rs 3,200-crore liquor scam in Andhra

News1818 hours ago
Amaravati, Jul 19 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh police on Saturday arrested YSRCP Lok Sabha member PV Midhun Reddy in the alleged Rs 3,200-crore liquor scam during the previous YSRCP regime.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged liquor scam grilled Midhun Reddy for several hours today and followed it up with his arrest at around 7.30 pm in Vijayawada.
'Yes (he has been arrested). The process (to produce him before a court) is going on," Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha told PTI over phone.
Midhun Reddy represents Rajampet constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
The YSRCP leader arrived in Vijayawada earlier today to attend the probe and his questioning comes in the wake of the arrest of other accused persons–Dhanunjay Reddy, Krishna Mohan Reddy and Balaji Govindappa.
Meanwhile, the opposition party slammed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly indulging in vindictive behaviour and foisting 'false' cases against people close to YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The case against Mithun Reddy is part of a larger vindictive conspiracy to arrest people who are in close proximity to the party leadership, said senior YSRCP leader Malladi Vishnu in a release.
'But we will bounce back to call the bluff of Chandrababu Naidu," he said, adding that the more vindictive the actions of the Naidu government, the stronger YSRCP's resolve becomes to fight back and expose the 'failures and corruption' of the coalition government.
Further, senior YSRCP leader L Appi Reddy said Midhun Reddy comes from a family with a long and distinguished political history.
'I am confident that justice will prevail and that the judiciary will act fairly. His decision to attend the inquiry shows his determination to prove his innocence and his respect for the rule of law," Reddy told PTI Videos. PTI STH GDK KH
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First Published:
July 19, 2025, 21:45 IST
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