Red sanders smuggling: Police probes role of Tollywood actress

Andhra Pradesh police is probing the suspected role of a Telugu movie actress in connection with a red sanders smuggling case, in which a YSR Congress leader was arrested earlier, a senior police official said here today.

The Tollywood actress is suspected to have transferred red sanders smuggling related cash through her bank account in Hyderabad to some locals in Kurnool, the police official said, based on the confession of some accused who have been arrested in the case.

However, no case has been registered against her so far, the senior police official said requesting anonymity.

YSR Congress leader and Chagalamarri mandal president Kondampalli Mastan Vali, who was on the run for several days after being named in a case of red sanders smuggling where 34 logs were seized in Kurnool about two months ago, was arrested on April 13.

Along with Mastan Vali, the police had also arrested eight others in connection with the case registered at Rudravaram police station.

During the investigation, one of the accused revealed that an amount running into lakhs of rupees was transferred from the bank account of the actress into accounts of four locals in installments to buy red sanders logs, the police officer said.

He said the actress allegedly had conversations with some people outside the state about supplying red sanders, the police officer said.

"It is a confession made by one of the arrested. We have to verify the same. Only after proper evidence we can establish her role. The matter is under investigation," said the police officer.