Somireddy demands ED probe into liquor scam in Andhra Pradesh
Addressing the media at the TDP central office, Mr. Chandramohan Reddy said the liquor scam was a fit case in which the 'economic terrorists' had looted people's money, and that the ED should realise its magnitude.
The ED, which was investigating the Delhi liquor scam and the irregularities that had allegedly taken place in the implementation of the Kaleshwaram project, should pay due attention to the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam, as corruption in it was not confined to the State but crossed the national borders.
Mr. Chandramohan Reddy said the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders, who were allegedly behind the scam, had to be dealt with sternly as it (the scam) was of massive proportions.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
ED to move out from Hinoo office, scouts for bigger space
Ranchi: With its expanding activities in the state in connection with money laundering cases, the Ranchi regional office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is now looking for a spacious office measuring 16,000 to 17,000 feet square metres on hire with facilities for its officers and staff and for interrogation and detention of accused persons. The current ED office is located in a building in Hinoo, which was confiscated in September 2018 from former minister Enos Ekka's wife Menon Ekka, in a money laundering case. The ED shifted its office from PP compound area to Hinoo in 2021 after the state govt could not provide space for the purpose. ED sources said it needs 17 cabins for officers ranked from joint director to assistant directors, 56 cubicles and workstations for enforcement officers and sepoys and 35 rooms for interrogation, lock ups, store, cyberlab. That apart, it also needs a conference room and parking space for 20 four wheelers and two wheelers each. However, officials said that it will keep the current office in its possession. The ED has stated its preference of locality as Hinoo, Doranda, Argora, Kadru, Ashok Nagar, Gosaintola, Shukla Colony, Satellite Colony, Maniotola and the nearby areas with good road connectivity. It has stated that surroundings of the building, space within and outside, approach roads, traffic congestions are important factors. It may be stated here that ED is investigating several cases in the state including the GST input tax credit scam, Bokaro land scam, illegal sand mining scam, Kanke land scam, Jharkhand Urja Utpadan Nigam scam, drinking water and sanitation department and others. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Mumbai court rejects discharge plea of woman accused in money laundering case linked to ponzi scheme
Mumbai: A special PMLA court on Friday rejected the discharge plea of 44-year-old Andheri resident, Rashmi Prasad, an accused in a money laundering case linked to a Rs 564 crore Ponzi scheme involving chartered accountant Amber Dalal and his company Ritz Consultancy Services. The court said that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to frame charges against Prasad for the offence of money laundering. The prosecution alleged that she received Rs 18.81 crore in her personal and business accounts from the accused firm Ritz Consultancy Services. "Admittedly, a huge amount of money was transferred from the account of M/s Ritz Consultancy Services and from the accused No. 1 (Dalal) into the account of accused No. 2 (Prasad) and her entities, and she purchased the property in Dubai (for Rs 4.19 crore). Therefore, there is prima facie sufficient material to frame a charge against accused No. 2," Special Judge RB Rote said on Friday. Prasad claimed to be one of 600 investors who entrusted money to the main accused, who allegedly ran a fraudulent investment firm. The court, however, found that the prosecution presented a strong prima facie case against her. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Gorgeous Female Athletes Ranked - But Did We Get It Right? Learn More Undo "The defence of the accused is required to be considered at the time of a full-fledged hearing of the matter on evidence. Therefore, at this stage, it is not possible to record the findings that accused No 2 was only an investor like other investors and the property was not acquired by using the proceeds of crime," the judge said. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai While Prasad claimed that the amount was accepted towards the returns on the investment, the judge said that she nowhere specified what the investment was and what the returns were. "No documentary evidence in the form of an MOU is forthcoming in this case to show that she invested the amount. Admittedly, accused No 1 was operating the Demat Account of accused No. 2. If accused No. 2 was only an investor and accused No 1 defrauded her, she would have lodged a complaint in respect of the same, but no such complaint is forthcoming by accused No 2," the judge said. The judge also noted that the case involves a serious economic offence, affecting the socio-economic condition of society. "There are 2015 investors who invested their funds in the scheme of accused No. 1, and they have been defrauded to the tune of Rs 564 crore," the judge said. The ED submitted that Prasad was Dalal's close associate and not an investor. The ED further alleged that she used these funds to acquire assets in India and Dubai, and to pay for personal expenses like car loans and credit card bills. Bank records reportedly show that Prasad remitted approximately Rs 4.27 crore to Dubai, with over Rs 4.19 crore of that amount used to purchase a property from M/s EMAAR Group. Case initiated by Andheri investor The case originated from an FIR filed by an investor, Babita Malkani, at the Oshiwara police station in Andheri. The FIR accused Dalal of offences including cheating and criminal breach of trust. The investigation was later transferred to the Economic Offence Wing (EOW). According to the prosecution's case, Dalal, through his firm Ritz Consultancy Services, collected funds from 2015 investors with the promise of monthly returns of 1.5% to 1.8% on investments in commodities like gold, silver, and crude oil. Investors were told their capital was safe and were given undated cheques for the invested amount. The EOW charge sheet states that a total investment of over Rs 1146 crore was collected, and after paying out returns of more than Rs 581 crore, the remaining amount of over Rs 564 crore was defrauded from the investors. The ED initiated its investigation subsequently. The ED alleges that the main accused was operating a Ponzi scheme, using a large portion of new investments to pay returns to existing investors. The funds were also allegedly diverted to close associates and family members for personal use, including purchasing properties. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !


Economic Times
6 hours ago
- Economic Times
Robert Vadra got 3.5 acre Gurgaon land as bribe: ED
In its July 17 chargesheet, the Enforcement Directorate alleged that Robert Vadra was given a 3.5-acre plot in Gurgaon's Sector 83 as a bribe, disputing his assertion that he purchased it for ₹7.5 crore. Vadra later sold the land to DLF for ₹58 crore. "Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd gave this land as bribe to Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd without any payment so that Robert Vadra, director of SLHPL, could help OPPL in getting housing license in the same village from the then minister of town and country planning, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, by his personal influence because Vadra is son-in-law of the (then) Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Bhupinder Singh Hooda was also CM of Congress govt," ED has alleged in its prosecution complaint - the agency's term for a chargesheet in a money laundering case. "Therefore, Vadra had personal influence on Bhupinder Hooda," ED stated. A special PMLA court has issued notice to Vadra for Aug 28 to take cognisance of the complaint and, if it concurs with the findings, initiate the framing of charges. TOI sought comments from Vadra's lawyer but did not receive any response. The chargesheet may also impact Vadra's spouse, Priyanka Gandhi, who was elected to Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Nov. The prosecution complaint has mentioned attachment of at least three high-value properties - totalling 39.7 acres in Amipur village in Faridabad - allegedly owned by Vadra but not disclosed in her poll affidavit. The alleged non-disclosure has been challenged before the Kerala HC, which has issued a notice to her. Under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, false or non-disclosure in affidavits is treated as a corrupt practice, punishable with disqualification and even July 16, ED said it had attached properties worth over Rs 37 crore allegedly linked to Vadra. The next day, it filed the chargesheet in the Gurgaon land deal case. Vadra and 10 others, including OPPL promoter-directors Satyanand Yajee and Kewal Singh Virk, have been accused of laundering "proceeds of crime" worth Rs 58 has examined and recorded statements of at least 20 witnesses, including Haryana govt officials and OPPL promoters, who initially claimed Vadra paid Rs 7.5 crore. ED has called this statement asked Gurgaon police to investigate Vadra's claimed payment. A deputy commissioner of police found that Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd purchased 3.53 acres from OPPL via sale deed No. 4928 on Feb 12, 2008. Payment was shown as made via cheque no. 607251. "The said cheque has never been encashed and the buyer company paid the consideration after six months through another cheque," the DCP said. "Thus, the buyer company made a false statement of consideration while executing the sale deed."ED's chargesheet said the sale deed was based on a false statement and the sale was benami. The cheque used was issued by Skylight Realty Pvt Ltd, not the buyer company SLHPL, which had capital of only Rs 1 lakh. SLRPL too did not have Rs 7.5 crore in its bank account. ED further claimed that the Rs 45 lakh stamp duty was paid by seller, not by SLHPL.