YSR Congress Party Criticizes Liquor Scam Allegations
M. Manohar Reddy, the Legal Cell president of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), strongly denied allegations of a liquor scam during the party’s tenure. He described the case as a politically motivated witch-hunt built on baseless allegations and procedural violations.
The case began with letters from an unknown individual, Venkateswara Srinivas, with no proven connection to the liquor trade. Instead of formal complaints, the authorities accepted postal letters and bypassed standard inquiry protocols. Within just nine days, an investigation was completed without transparency about those questioned or the evidence gathered.
Manohar Reddy criticized the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for operating without a designated police station or CCTV surveillance, undermining investigation integrity. He alleged that SIT officers were acting under political pressure, systematically targeting former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and senior YSRCP leaders, and harassing respected industrialists with fabricated charges.
Raj Kasireddy did not sign any confession, as recognized by the courts, and individuals like Chanakya and Sridhar Reddy were coerced into making false statements, he alleged.
Manohar Reddy highlighted that during Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure, liquor syndicates caused a loss of an estimated 5,000 crore to the State exchequer, with 53% procurement controlled by just four companies. The liquor policy under the YSRCP government reduced liquor outlets by 33%, cut consumption, and ended private syndicates. The current NDA coalition (TDP-BJP-JSP) government was reversing these reforms, with illegal belt shops proliferating and liquor sales surging unchecked.
Reference : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/nda-govt-using-sit-as-political-tool-in-liquor-case-allege-ysrcp-leader/article69501993.ece
