Vijayawada, Jul 30: In a new twist to the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has recovered Rs 11 crore cash from a guesthouse near Hyderabad.

The currency notes were kept in 12 cardboard boxes at Sulochana Farm Guesthouse at Kacharam in Shamshabad mandal of Rangareddy district, said sources here.

The SIT seized the cash during the searches at the houses and offices of the accused in the scam, which allegedly took place during the previous government of the YSR Congress Party.

The investigating officials also seized liquor hidden at the same premises. The SIT sources said, "Cash and liquor were hidden at the direction of Kesireddy Rajashekar Reddy, the prime accused in the case."

The SIT officials searched the guesthouse on the basis of the information revealed by Varun Purshottam, who is accused number 40 in the case.

The investigation team is also probing the role of Chanikya and Vinay, both accused in the case, in concealing the cash. On the direction of Kesireddy and Chanikya, Varun had hidden the cash in 12 boxes, the sources said.

During the questioning by SIT officials, Varun reportedly confessed to the crime and revealed information about cash and liquor.

The alleged scam had occurred during the YSRCP rule between 2019 and 2024.

After TDP-led NDA came to power last year, a case was registered at CID Police Station in Mangalagiri under sections 409, 420, 120 (B), r/w 34 and 37 of IPC and section 7, 7A, 8, 12, 13 (1), (b), 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) initially conducted an investigation following a complaint by an official of the Excise Department. Later, the government constituted an SIT, headed by NTR District Commissioner of Police S.V. Rajashekhar Babu, to probe the case.

The SIT found large-scale irregularities and fund misappropriation in the liquor policy implemented during 2019-24.

Investigators reportedly uncovered a kickback network involving nearly Rs 3,500 crore siphoned off over five years.

There are allegations that the YSR Congress Party leaders encouraged the new liquor policy, floated new brands, received kickbacks from the distillery companies, causing a huge loss to the government.

The SIT has already arrested 12 accused, including YSRCP MP P. V. Midhun Reddy.

The key accused include Kesireddy Rajashekar Reddy, former IT Adviser to former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy; K. Dhanunjaya Reddy, Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office; Krishna Mohan Reddy, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to then Chief Minister; director of Bharati Cements Balaji Govindappa; former MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy; Rajashekar Reddy’s personal assistant Dilip Kumar, Chanikya, and Sajjala Sridhar Reddy.

The SIT filed a preliminary charge sheet in the case on July 19. It mentions former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as one of the recipients of kickbacks. He, however, has not been named as an accused in the case.

The charge sheet alleges that between 2019 and 2024, an average of Rs 50 to 60 crore was collected every month from distilleries and routed through a network of aides and shell companies.

(IANS)

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