Key accused in the AP liquor scam case Govindappa Balaji has been detained by the SIT Police. It is reported that he was detained in Mysore, Karnataka. The SIT teams are trying to file a transit warrant in the Mysore court. Govindappa Balaji is the director of Bharathi Cements owned by former chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s family.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear Govindappa Balaji’s anticipatory bail petition on Tuesday. Moreover, the SIT authorities had issued notices to key accused in this case Krishnamohan Reddy, Dhanunjaya Reddy and Balaji Govindappa, to appear for the hearing three days ago.
These three accused are known as close associates of Jaganmohan Reddy in the previous government. The notice stated that they should come to the SIT office in Vijayawada and cooperate in the investigation. However, the accused have not reached the SIT office so far.
The AP High Court has already rejected their anticipatory bail petition. The Supreme Court has also refused to grant them interim bail from arrest. SIT officials have included Dhanunjaya Reddy as A31, Krishna Mohan Reddy as A32, and Govindappa Balaji as A33 in the AP liquor scam case.
The SIT officials also mentioned these three names in the remand report of the recently arrested Kasireddy Rajasekhar Reddy and Chanakya. The accused stated during the investigation that they collected money at that time as per the orders of these three and that this money reached them. So, the SIT officials stated in the memo that their names were included.
Along with Krishna Mohan Reddy and Govindappa, Dhanunjaya Reddy’s role is said to be crucial in collecting bribes from liquor supply companies and distilleries and diverting that money to shell companies. SIT officials have already confirmed that the trio frequently met with liquor supply companies and distillery owners in Hyderabad and Tadepalli to discuss the amount of bribes to be paid.