AP excise minister in police net over liquor payoffs
A dealer had paid Venkata Ramana Rs 10 lakh for an illegal favour
Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister M Venkata Ramana landed in police custody on Wednesday following charges of his involvement in the liquor payoffs scam.
The Minister had allegedly accepted Rs 10 lakh kickbacks from a liquor syndicate leader.
The sensational finding, contained in a report compiled by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), came as a major embarrassment to the Congress government.
According to the ACB report filed in a special court, a liquor dealer from Khammam district, Nunna Venkata Ramana, had bribed the Minister for allowing the sale of liquor at prices above the MRP (Maximum Retail Price).
The syndicate ring leader, who owns 13 wine shops in Khammam besides “controlling” 80 other outlets, had claimed before the ACB sleuths that he, along with another wine shop owner, visited the Minister at the latter’s official residence in Hyderabad and made the payment as protection money.
Ramana, who is caught in a political storm, gave graphic details of his payments to politicians of all hues, excise officials and journalists on a regular basis to ensure that the liquor sales were not affected adversely. His revelations created a stir since it is the first time that the names of politicians figured in the list of those who received bribes from liquor traders.
In his confessional statement, the liquor dealer named two other MLAs belonging to Congress and Telugu Desam Party from Khammam and Warangal districts as well as some office bearers of CPI, CPI (M), TRS and BJP, local journalists and several police and excise department officials as the recipients of the payoffs from the liquor syndicate.
Every single employee of the excise department in the two districts, from Deputy Commissioner down to constable, got their share of the pie regularly, running into a few crores, the ACB report said.
The local journalists were also paid bribes for not publishing adverse reports against the liquor business.
Vehemently denying the charges, the Minister said he was ready to face any probe to prove his innocence. Amidst speculation that he could be asked to resign, Ramana called on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and explained his version.
Later, talking to reporters, he said, “I have requested the Chief Minister to institute a through inquiry into the charges. I will not hesitate even for a minute to resign if I am found guilty of accepting bribes.”
The Minister took serious objection to the ACB mentioning his name in the remand report without seeking his opinion.
“How can they give credence to a wild allegation made by an unscrupulous businessman? I have always fought against illegal liquor trade. The liquor lobby is unhappy with me because I have ordered a major drive to check illegal sales,” he said.
The ACB had launched a major drive in December last year and arrested several senior excise officials for their involvement with liquor syndicates. In a damning report, the ACB has exposed the nexus between politicians, liquor syndicates, excise and police officials and journalists.
The illegal activity includes the sale of liquor above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), operating retail shops beyond the stipulated hours, opening of illegal outlets called “belt shops”, loose sales at vends, sale of non-duty paid (NDP) liquor and bootlegging.
