YSR Congress Party President and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has come down heavily on the arrest of party MP Peddireddy Mithun Reddy in the high-profile liquor scam case. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested Mithun Reddy and shifted him to Rajahmundry Central Jail—a move that Jagan denounced as a politically motivated attack.
Reacting strongly on X (formerly Twitter), Jagan issued a detailed statement slamming the arrest, calling it “illegal” and “fabricated.” He stated that Mithun Reddy, a three-time MP, is being framed using forced statements and distorted facts. “This is not justice—it’s a clear attempt to suppress those who stand up for the people,” Jagan said.
Jagan alleged that the case is a strategic distraction orchestrated by the TDP-led state government to divert attention from its administrative failures. “The liquor scam is nothing but a manufactured story designed to mislead the public and dominate media headlines,” he claimed.
Highlighting the alleged methods behind the investigation, Jagan accused the SIT of using pressure tactics, threats, third-degree interrogation techniques, and inducements to create a false narrative. He also pointed out that TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu himself is out on bail in a case related to the liquor policy during the 2014–2019 period—an inconvenient truth now being brushed aside.
“This is proof of Chandrababu’s desperation,” Jagan stated. “While trying to defend a flawed liquor policy for 2024–29, he wants to erase the missteps of his previous tenure.”
Jagan criticized the present government for undoing the reforms made by the YSRCP, such as shutting down thousands of belt shops and reducing the number of liquor outlets across the state. He raised serious concerns that illegal liquor shops and permit rooms are now resurfacing, leading to unregulated alcohol sales, often at prices above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). He also alleged that the current regime is once again opening the doors to corruption through liquor shop license allotments.
“Their true agenda is now exposed,” Jagan said. “Under the guise of legal investigations, they are targeting YSRCP leaders to silence dissent and keep them behind bars without reason.”
He further added that the SIT is being misused to prolong the legal process unnecessarily. However, Jagan expressed confidence that once the real trial begins, the truth will come to light. “This is a politically driven, baseless case that has no legal standing,” he concluded, asserting that justice will prevail in the end.