Liquor scam: Retd Khammam district collector among 12 arrested

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today arrested a retired District Collector of Khammam and 11 others in connection with the liquor "scam" in Andhra Pradesh.

According to an ACB release, N Nageshwar Rao, former Collector and District Magistrate of Khammam and others did not initiate any action for the cancellation of licenses pertaining to 16 liquor shops in Khammam, wherein, names of others subsequent to the approval of successful bidder (for auction of wine shop) were added through "manipulation" of various records.

On March 4, the ACB had arrested four officials of the Excise Department on charges of processing files and manipulating records, thus playing an active role in handing over the control of business of these 16 liquor shops to the liquor syndicate led by Nunna Venkata Ramana, who is presently under judicial custody.

Though the revenue divisional officer (RDO) of Khammam, in his report, established several manipulations and fabrications of the records and inclusion of another person's name other than the successful bidder in respect of these 16 shops and recommended criminal action. However, Nageshwar Rao, despite getting the report, kept quite without taking any action for the cancellation of all the licenses in accordance under sections of the AP Excise Act, the ACB release said.

"The act of Nageshwar Rao and others enabled the accused to continue to have control over the business of 16 shops and derive pecuniary advantage," it said.

Earlier, a complaint was received from a license holder (of a wine shop) about alleged high-handedness and atrocities of Nunna about inclusion of name of another person.

ACB sleuths have been conducting raids in different districts since December last year after exposing the liquor syndicate-political-officials nexus, with the arrest of liquor syndicate led by Nunna Venkata Ramana.

ACB has also arrested several excise and police officials since March this year for their alleged links with the liquor mafia.