Liquor scam worth Rs. 15,000 crore: ACB
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) informed a court here on Wednesday that the liquor scam in the State which led to the arrest of over a score of persons, including ten officials of excise and a police inspector, was worth Rs. 15,000 crore. Public prosecutor of ACB Sham Sunder disclosed the value while arguing against bail for five liquor traders who were arrested recently in Yemmiganur of Kurnool district. The bail petition was dismissed by the ACB court.
The revelation by the ACB came a day after Nunna Ramana who was arrested in Khammam reiterated his charge in court that he paid Rs. 10 lakh to Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana to settle a dispute between liquor traders.
The ACB submitted to the court, confession statements of some of the arrested persons vouching for payments to politicians and officials, many of whom were absconding. The agency carried out extensive searches on the premises of liquor syndicates across the State before arresting traders and officials who included an Assistant Commissioner of Excise, six excise inspectors, two sub-inspectors and a head constable. A police inspector on deputation to excise was also arrested. None of them got bail so far. The traders confessed to making payments to officials to run the businesses violating various norms, including selling above maximum retail price and keeping the outlets open beyond permitted hours. In today’s arguments, however, the public prosecutor of ACB said the traders also resorted to selling non-duty paid liquor which resulted in revenue loss to the government.
The ACB sought police custody of some of the accused, including Mr. Ramana, to unearth details of payments since the auction of liquor shops in June 2010. The agency detected that the officials who received the payments also lent loans to traders to lift stocks from AP Beverages Corporation and meet other expenses.
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