With the new coalition government taking charge in Andhra Pradesh, the focus has shifted to alleged irregularities during the previous YSRCP regime. Several high-profile leaders from the YSR Congress Party are now facing legal heat, with many of them rushing to courts seeking anticipatory bail to avoid arrests. Among them is Rajampet MP and YSRCP’s Lok Sabha floor leader Mithun Reddy, who has now secured temporary relief from the Supreme Court.
On Monday, the apex court directed the Andhra Pradesh police not to arrest Mithun Reddy until further orders, offering him protection in connection with the ongoing investigation into a high-profile liquor scam case.
Back in 2019, after storming to power with a massive mandate, the YSRCP government restructured the state’s liquor policy, replacing private liquor sales with a government-controlled distribution system. However, the current ruling alliance has alleged that this shift opened the door for a large-scale liquor scam. Acting on this, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) has initiated a formal inquiry.
Preliminary findings in the case point towards Kasireddy Rajasekhar Reddy, who served as an IT advisor to former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. According to CID’s early reports, the alleged scam was executed under his supervision and was closely linked to Mithun Reddy. Despite being served summons, Kasireddy has reportedly failed to respond, prompting further suspicion.
Despite increased pressure, Mithun Reddy first approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court for anticipatory bail. His request was however rejected by the court, emphasizing that his name had not directly appeared in the FIR, prompting questions regarding the urgency of his request for bail.
Lest he get arrested, Mithun Reddy subsequently knocked on the Supreme Court doors citing unofficial reports and media leaks hinting at action from the CID anytime soon. Hearing his apprehensions, the Supreme Court gave a directive forbidding any arrest till further orders, granting him temporary relief.
At the same time, there were reports that CID units had arrived in Delhi, where Mithun Reddy was residing, allegedly to take him into custody. These reports fueled widespread speculation, particularly since YSRCP’s social media engine was actively propagating the theory that an arrest was only a matter of time away. Political analysts point out this might have been a calculated step to create public sympathy.
With the Supreme Court intervening now, Mithun Reddy’s arrest has been suspended for the moment. But this incident has again fueled controversy over whether the legal action against former YSRCP leaders is on actual evidence or politically motivated actions to trap the opposition.
As the probe goes deeper and court proceedings are ongoing, everyone will be watching how this high-profile case goes in the next few days.