Andhra Pradesh: Liquor don implicates minister Ramreddy Venkat Reddy

Hyderabad: Liquor syndicate leader B Balraj Goud, who was arrested by the ACB in April has reportedly stated in his confessional statement that horticulture minister Ramreddy Venkat Reddy’s close aides have nearly 200 liquor shops in the three districts of Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medak. He also told the ACB that former MLA D K Bharatsimha Reddy owns 150 liquor shops in the city and other places.

Goud has reporteldy revealed that minister Venkat Reddy managed to corner licences to 200 vends by using proxies Yadagiri Reddy and Narasa Reddy, who also manage the network’s business activities. As regards Bharatasimha Reddy, Goud reportedly told the ACB, “I have a stake in seven bars and restaurants in the city, and he has a stake in several liqor shops in Rangareddy, Mahbubnagar and Medak districts,”

Though the ACB had arrested Balraj Goud on April 2, his confessional statement came out in the open only on Wednesday. It is learnt that Goud has revealed to the police that he offered kickbacks to policemen, excise officials and journalists and that he paid monthly mamools to the Begumpet, Gopalpuram, Sultan Bazar and other police stations in the city in addition to bribes to Task Force personnel to allow his vends to sell liquor above the MRP.

Horticulture Minister Ramreddy Venkat Reddy's close aides have nearly 200 liquor shops in three AP districts.

Based on his statement, ACB officials have arrested several liquor syndicate members organisers in the city including Ajay Goud, son of Yousufguda corporator G Rajamouli alias Murali Goud. Ajay was involved in the operation of a few liquor shops on benami names in and around the city and in Karimnagar district.

After the liquor scam came to light, ACB sleuths raided Balraj Goud’s office in Chikkadpally on December 16 last year and seized some documents . Based on the evidence provided by them, a case was booked against Goud by the ACB on Jan. 25. He went absconding after that. Subsequently, ACB sleuths issued a lookout circular for Goud so that he would not be able to leave the country. After that Goud reportedly called up ACB officials several times, offering to surrender. The ACB officials kept track of him and nabbed him on April 2.

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