SIT cracks down on YSRCP leaders in liquor scam raids

Tirupati: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the multi-crore liquor scam in Andhra Pradesh stepped up its operations on Wednesday, carrying out simultaneous searches at the houses and offices linked to senior YSRCP leaders in Chittoor district and Hyderabad.

A 20-member SIT team swooped down on Tummalagunta residence of former Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, who has already been named as A-38 in the case. Reddy was arrested earlier at Bengaluru airport while allegedly attempting to leave for Sri Lanka. His close associate, Venkatesh Naidu, too was taken into custody. Investigators searched Reddy’s premises for cash, documents, and electronic devices in a bid to unravel the money trail.

Sources said Bhaskar Reddy is suspected of channelling between Rs 250–300 crore, along with Raj Kasireddy, to bankroll election expenses. The seizure of Rs 8 crore at Garikapadu checkpost in Jaggaiahpet mandal during the 2024 Assembly polls has become a key piece of evidence in the case. The SIT is now scanning multiple financial transactions linked to the former legislator.

Parallel searches were also carried out at the Chittoor residence of YSRCP in-charge MC Vijayanand Reddy. Teams examined financial records, property documents, and digital devices. Officials indicated that the evidence may throw fresh light on Vijayanand Reddy’s alleged role in the scandal.

Apart from residences, investigators spread their net wider, raiding offices at BV Reddy Colony, Nalanda Nagar, and Nikhilananda Apartments in Chittoor. They also searched an infra company linked to Mohit Reddy and an office in Prashanthi Hills, Gachibowli, Hyderabad. Officials said they found irregularities in the company’s records, with several premises functioning under different names. At one such site, a board displaying ‘Well Task Food and Beverages’ was discovered, but documents inside reportedly pointed to connections with Mohit Reddy’s firm and links to Vijayanand Reddy.