Court to hear Andhra minister's graft charges against colleagues

Justice L. Narasimha Reddy took suo moto note of Textiles Minister Shankar Rao's allegations against Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy and Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana.

The judge referred the matter to a bench, which will also decide whether the matter should be probed by the Central Bureau of  Investigation (CBI).

Shankar Rao had Monday alleged that the home minister was indulging in corruption in postings of police officers. He also threatened to resign from the cabinet if Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy failed to take action against her by Oct 2.

"If the state government wants to sell postings for police officers, it call tenders and appoint the highest bidder," the minister had remarked.

Sabita Indra Reddy denied the allegations against her, and said transfers of police officers are done by a committee of senior officers.

Meanwhile, Shankar Rao hailed the court taking suo moto note of sale of postings. He alleged that corruption is rampant in departments like home, excise, revenue, panchayat raj and roads and buildings.

The high court had earlier ordered a CBI probe into the wealth of YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and also into alleged irregularities in Emaar township project after Shankar Rao wrote letters to the court, seeking its intervention.