Exoneration of Sekar Reddy BJP’s gift to AIADMK: DMK chief Stalin

Nearly four years after wads of then newly-released Rs 2000 notes were recovered from industrialist J Sekar Reddy's residence, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a closure report in the case relating to seizure of money from Reddy , considered close to a few AIADMK ministers.

Reddy, a member of the influential Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that manages the famous Lord Venkateshwara Temple in Tirupati, has been accused of “causing wrongful loss” to the Government of India to the tune of Rs 247.13 crore by illegally converting demonetised currency into new notes.

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The Income Tax sleuths had recovered Rs 33.89 crore in Rs 2,000 notes from premises belonging to him during a raid on December 8, 2016.

The seizure sent shockwaves across Tamil Nadu as Reddy shared close ties with several AIADMK ministers and the raid came just three days after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Based on “documents” recovered from Reddy’s premises, the Income Tax department had also raided the then Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Ramamohana Rao leading to his shunting down from the post.

Last week, the CBI filed a closure report for lack of “sufficient evidence” against Reddy and five others who were named in the case, and the court agreed to allow the plea.

“The evidence on record is not adequate to launch prosecutable case against the accused persons beyond reasonable doubt to establish that they fraudulently converted the unauthorised cash held by them in old currency notes in to NHD, thereby depriving the public, in enforcing their right and thus, the accused 1 to 6 had in conspiracy with unknown bank officials and public servants cheated the Government of India,” the XI Additional Special Judge for CBI cases, Chennai, said in his order dated September 25.

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In a statement, DMK President M K Stalin termed Reddy’s discharge from the case as “BJP’s gift” to the AIADMK and questioned why the saffron party was saving the ruling party in the state from court cases. “CBI admitting before the court that there is no evidence (against Sekar Reddy) is the BJP’s gift to AIADMK on the day the latter held its Executive Committee meet. Even after going through 800 documents and investigating 170 witnesses, the CBI was not able to find which bank converted the notes,” Stalin said.

He also alleged that the BJP has been saving AIADMK in a slew of court cases like seizure of Rs 570 crore from a container on the eve of the 2021 assembly polls, the Kodanad break-in case, and the case relating to bribing voters during the 2017 by-polls to R K Nagar.