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Andhra liquor scam: Former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy received kickbacks, alleges chargesheet

Andhra liquor scam: Former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy received kickbacks, alleges chargesheet

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YS Jagan Mohan Reddy allegedly received kickbacks of Rs 50 crore to Rs 60 crore per month during his tenure as Andhra Pradesh's chief minister, PTI quoted the police's chargesheet in the Rs 3,500-crore liquor scam case as having claimed.
Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was the chief minister between May 2019 and June 2024, has not been named as an accused in the case, according to reports.
The Criminal Investigation Department filed the chargesheet in a Vijayawada court on Saturday. The court is yet to take cognisance of the chargesheet, the news agency reported.
The case pertains to an alleged scam involving the excise policy under the YSR Congress Party government, which was allegedly structured to benefit select companies and suppliers. The police have alleged that the firms paid kickbacks that were routed to Jagan Mohan Reddy through intermediaries.
The bribes were allegedly handed over to Jagan Mohan Reddy's former IT advisor Kesireddy Rajashekar Reddy, who channelled the money through a network of shell companies, PTI quoted the chargesheet as having alleged.
The money was then allegedly transferred to party leaders and 'masterminds' V Vijayasai Reddy and PV Midhun Reddy, who allegedly passed it on to Jagan Mohan Reddy, the chief minister at the time.
Vijayasai Reddy is a former Rajya Sabha MP, while Midhun Reddy is a three-time Lok Sabha MP from Rajampet.
On Sunday, a special Anti-Corruption Bureau court in Vijayawada remanded Midhun Reddy to judicial custody till August 1 in connection with the case, The Hindu reported. He was arrested on Saturday.
The police have arrested 12 persons as part of its investigation.
Jagan Mohan Reddy rejects allegations
In a social media post, Jagan Mohan Reddy described the allegations against him as ' manufactured narrative ' created for 'media theatrics' and to divert attention from real problems.
He also accused the Telugu Desam Party-led government of 'reviving corrupt liquor practices'.
'The entire case is built on statements extracted under pressure, threats, third-degree torture, and also through bribes and inducements,' he alleged. 'This is not a legal process, but a political witch-hunt.'
He also condemned the arrest of Midhun Reddy, describing it as 'political vendetta'.
I strongly condemn the illegal arrest of YSRCP Lok Sabha MP Sri P.V. Midhun Reddy. This is nothing but a political conspiracy designed to silence those who stand with the people. Midhun Reddy, who has been elected as a Member of Parliament for three consecutive terms, has been…
— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) July 20, 2025
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‘Purchased' honorary titles, international web of shell firms: How Ghaziabad conman operated fake embassy for 9 yrs
‘Purchased' honorary titles, international web of shell firms: How Ghaziabad conman operated fake embassy for 9 yrs

Indian Express

time13 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

‘Purchased' honorary titles, international web of shell firms: How Ghaziabad conman operated fake embassy for 9 yrs

A pristine white bungalow, four flashy sedans with blue and white diplomatic number plates parked in the driveway, national flags from across the world and a man posing as an 'ambassador'. When Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF) raided the 'Embassy of Westarctica' in Ghaziabad's upscale Kavi Nagar neighbourhood earlier this week, they came across an elaborate con job. Far from an an ordinary swindler, Harsh Vardhan Jain, the accused, had been running a fake embassy of a country that doesn't exist, without raising any suspicion for the last nine years. Jain had planned every detail meticulously to build this façade, according to the police. He had allegedly printed fake press cards, doctored photos with top dignitaries and even 'purchased' honorary titles from self-proclaimed micronations. The preliminary investigation, police say, has revealed that Jain was running a multi-nation scam. How did Jain manage to execute such a fraud, undetected for years, right beneath the vigilant gaze of the local Ghaziabad Police is yet to be revealed. How Jain's fake embassy operation was finally exposed is also unknown. According to the UPSTF, Jain is a Ghaziabad-born MBA graduate who claims to have studied in London. His father, JD Jain, was a once reputed industrialist, with marble export businesses operating in Rajasthan. In the early 2000s, Jain reportedly came in contact with self-styled godman Chandraswami, who allegedly introduced him to arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and Ehsan Ali Syed, another conman posing as a businessman who was convicted in a fraud case in Switzerland. With their help, Jain is said to have established more than a dozen companies in Dubai, London, and Mauritius — many of them shell firms used to collect 'brokerage' for jobs and promises of huge loans before duping them. After a few years in London and Dubai, Jain allegedly returned to India in 2011 and began projecting himself as a diplomat. Police say he leveraged honorary titles from unrecognised micronations — Seborga, Westarctica, and Lodonia — to set up a fake embassy in his Ghaziabad home. He had also been posing as the ambassador of a fictional nation called Poulvia. When STF officers entered the Kavi Nagar bungalow on July 22, they found what appeared to be a diplomatic mission: cars with blue number plates bearing phrases like 'Honorary Consul – Baron Westarctica', flags of different nations on the property, and signages that were creating the illusion of official legitimacy. Inside, they recovered over Rs 44 lakh in Indian currency, foreign currency from the United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, 20 sets of fake diplomatic number plates, 34 stamps and seals of various fake entities,12 passports (some from unrecognized nations), Fake IDs including press cards and two PAN cards, a laptop, phone, and over a dozen luxury watches. Jain had been running the operation, STF officials said, by posing as a diplomatic representative allegedly by using the fake IDs and doctored photos. His setup included 'morphed' images showing him with late President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other leaders, in an attempt to look credible. Through this lavish setup, he had allegedly been luring individuals and companies with promises of jobs and international business deals. To outsiders, the 'embassy' appeared credible, complete with red and green diplomatic license plates and signage that implied ties with multiple global institutions. Officials said he even issued bogus 'diplomatic passports' from micronations and collected money as 'fees' with promises of providing employment in these micronations. Micronations are self-proclaimed countries not recognised by any sovereign state. While any associations with these micronations are often symbolic, Jain had allegedly used his associations with them to create an aura of legitimacy. Seborga, one of the micronations of which he had been posing as an ambassador, is a self-declared principality in Italy. In its statement, it said that it appointed Jain as an honorary councilor in good faith after he had contacted them. The statement also clarified that it was a symbolic post with no legal or diplomatic standing. The principality said that over the years Jain had aso 'recommended individuals to represent Seborga in India' some of whom had been appointed by the micronation. Westarctica, which claims to be a non-profit organisation working towards the cause of preserving the Antarctic ice sheet, confirmed that Jain was given the honorary title of 'Consul to India' after he made a donation in 2016. However, he violated protocol by calling his residence an embassy and printing unauthorised materials like diplomatic number plates and passports, according to a statement. 'He was indefinitely suspended,' the group said in a statement. Ladonia, another micronation, which claims to provide a cultural identity for people who believe in free speech and artistic expression and has clear boundaries but mostly 'non-resident' citizens denied any ties with Jain. forged documents to claim he was its Ambassador to India and harassed officials after they refused to recognize him. In a detailed response to questions asked by The Indian Express, Ladonia's Press Officer, Julia Andersson, said Jain became a 'symbolic citizen' on November 12, 2016, and had 'purchased' an honorary barony title. The micronation alleged that in November 2017, Jain had forged a certificate falsely claiming to be Ladonia's Ambassador to India, backdating it to September 15, 2016, in an attempt to predate the symbolic appointment of another Indian individual and had been 'harrassing' its officials by spamming them with texts and mails requesting for Ladonian paraphernalia, a request that was denied by the micronation. According to STF and police officials, Jain's network spanned multiple countries. He alleegdly maintained 11 bank accounts in the UK, UAE, Mauritius, and India; set up shell firms like Island General Trading Co. LLC (Dubai), East India Company UK Ltd and State Trading Corporation Ltd (UK); claimed to help clients get international contracts or jobs abroad; charged hefty 'brokerage'and used these fake diplomatic affiliations that he had purchased to appear credible enough to seek business clients. Police sources said that he made over 30 trips to the UAE alone and visited over 40 countries in the past decade to build a globe-trotting con operation. Police are currently trying to determine the number of people defrauded. An FIR (No. 671/2025) has been registered at Kavi Nagar police station under sections 318(4), 336(3), 338, and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to forgery, impersonation, and cheating. Jain was remanded to judicial custody on July 23, where the STF seeked custodial remand to trace the full extent of his hawala network. Officials also said that the Income Tax Department would be informed about the seized cash and foreign currency. Further investigation is on into his multiple PAN cards, international accounts, and fake documentation.

Rajasthan govt. announces ₹10 lakh each to kin of children killed in Jhalawar school building collapse
Rajasthan govt. announces ₹10 lakh each to kin of children killed in Jhalawar school building collapse

The Hindu

time15 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Rajasthan govt. announces ₹10 lakh each to kin of children killed in Jhalawar school building collapse

Amid demands for the resignation of State Education Minister Madan Dilawar, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan on Saturday announced an ex-gratia assistance of ₹10 lakh each to the next of kin of seven children killed in the school building collapse in Jhalawar district. One member of each family will also get a contractual job with the State government. The bodies of six children were cremated together in Piplodi village, where a portion of the government school in which they were studying collapsed on Friday morning, amid the cries of grieving families. The seventh child was cremated in Chandpura Bheelan village, situated nearby. The police stopped Congress MLA from Khanpur, Suresh Gurjar, and student leader from Jaipur, Nirmal Choudhary, on the Kota-Jhalawar road when they were going to meet the injured students admitted to the hospital. Another political leader, Naresh Meena, was detained when he staged a dharna outside the District Hospital in Jhalawar. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced the formation of a permanent committee to review the safety of government schools, colleges, hostels and Anganwadi centres and undertake the repairing of dilapidated buildings. He also announced an increase from 15% to 20% in the permissible allocation for these buildings in the Dang, Magra and Mewat regions. Mr. Sharma said at a high-level meeting here that a provision of Rs.375 crore was made in this year's budget for repairing of schools and construction of new school buildings, besides the release of Rs.3 crore to each Assembly constituency for the purpose. 'The MLAs will also be entitled to recommend an expenditure of 20% of their annual allocation under the local area development fund in schools,' Mr. Sharma said. Civil rights groups in the State have termed Friday's mishap in Piplodi village an instance of 'gross administrative negligence' and demanded an immediate resignation of Education Minister Mr. Dilawar, holding him responsible for the deaths. The death of seven children and serious injuries to several others reflected the State government's utter failure, said the activists. People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)-Rajasthan president Bhanwar Meghwanshi said there was a widespread danger to children studying in the dilapidated buildings amid the deterioration of school infrastructure. 'On the other hand, Mr. Dialwar's sole focus has been on communalising educational institutions,' Mr. Meghwanshi said. According to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2023–24 data, 78 out of 94 students in the Government Upper Primary School in Piplodi belonged to tribal communities, as it is situated in the predominantly tribal area. 'This makes it clear that the government is not serious about the safety and education of children from tribal and backward regions,' Mr. Meghwanshi said. The PUCL urged the State government to learn from the Piplodi accident and immediately conduct a comprehensive safety audit of all school buildings. Mr. Meghwanshi said the dilapidated schools must be vacated, and children shifted to safe and secure learning environments without delay. The Opposition Congress also criticised the BJP government over the children's death, with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanding a probe and strict punishment for the culprits. While pointing out that most of the victims were from the Bahujan community, Mr. Gandhi asked if their lives held no value for the BJP. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X: 'A government that cannot even repair the roofs of schools for children, who are our country's future, despite complaints, shows big dreams of 'Viksit Bharat'.' The BJP, which boasts a lot about development, had ruined the country, Mr. Kharge said. (EOM)

PM Modi ‘deeply honoured' to attend Maldives' Independence day event: ‘Productive talks with President Muizzu will…'
PM Modi ‘deeply honoured' to attend Maldives' Independence day event: ‘Productive talks with President Muizzu will…'

Mint

time15 minutes ago

  • Mint

PM Modi ‘deeply honoured' to attend Maldives' Independence day event: ‘Productive talks with President Muizzu will…'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the 60th Independence Day celebrations of Maldives, along with members of his delegation. The event was organised at the Republic Square in Male, where President Mohamed Muizzu and several ministers of the country welcomed PM Modi as the Guest of Honour. After attending the event, PM Modi expressed on X that he was 'deeply honoured' to have witnessed the celebrations. 'The productive talks with President Muizzu will add significant energy to our bilateral relations,' the post read. In another post, he also said that the relationship between the two countries continues to grow and that it is shaped by people-to-people ties and cooperation in various sectors. 'India remains committed to supporting the aspirations of the Maldivian people and to working together for the betterment of our planet,' he added. During the 5-minute event, PM Modi was seen sitting next to Muizzu. The event featured a military parade and cultural performances by children and other artists. The top political and military brass of the Maldives were also present at the event. Members of PM Modi's delegation, including external affairs minister S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Vikram Misri, attended the event too, PTI reported. PM Modi's visit to the island nation marks a significant step towards improving the India-Maldives relations after a brief period of tension as Mohamed Muizzu, known for his 'pro-China' leanings, came to power while running an 'India Out' campaign. He adopted a policy aimed at strengthening relations with China and in a way reducing dependence on India, Mint reported earlier. However, in recent years, bilateral ties have been reset through what experts call a pragmatic approach. Muizzu visited India in October last year, and now PM Modi is on a two-day visit to Maldives. 'The Maldives will not do anything that would harm India's security interests. We value India's role as a close neighbour and friend,' President Muizzu said during the visit, marking a sharp departure from his earlier 'India-Out' campaign.

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