YSRCP Leader’s Murder Case: Arrests of two former TDP ministers within a month by Jagan's government; Chandrababu Naidu cries foul

The Andhra Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested TDP leader and former minister Kollu Ravindra in connection with the murder of YSRCP leader Moka Bhaskar Rao last month.

According to M Ravindranath Babu, Krishna district Superintendent of Police, Kollu was part of a plan hatched by a few others to eliminate Rao, a close aide of YSRCP minister Perni Venkataramaiah.

The murder took place at the Machilipatnam fish market on June 29. Five persons, including a local TDP leader Nanchariah, were arrested earlier in the case.

“Technical data (like phone calls), circumstantial evidence etc, shows Kollu’s involvement. When a police team went to serve notices yesterday, it was found that Kollu escaped, following which search parties were formed. He was finally detained near Tuni, along with a few associates. He was brought to Machilipatnam last night; the arrest was made today,” said Babu.

Kollu, who was the backward class welfare minister, has been booked in the case registered under IPC sections including 302 (murder).

This is the second arrest of a TDP minister from the previous Chandrababu Naidu regime, within a month’s time.

On June 12, the Andhra Pradesh anti-corruption bureau arrested former minister and senior TDP leader Kinjarapu Atchannaidu for his alleged role in a multi-crore scam in procurement of medicines, surgical equipment for use in the ESI hospitals.

The scam took place when he was the labour and employment minister between 2014 and 2019. The swindled amount is about Rs 150 crore out of a total procurement allocation of Rs 988 crore.

Three more former TDP ministers — Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Nimmakayala Chinarajappa and Ch Ayyanna Patrudu — are facing the arrest threat in cases booked against them under the SC/ST (Atrocities Prevention) Act.

Naidu cries foul

TDP chief Naidu has accused Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy of resorting to “vengeful” arrests of party’s backward class leaders to damage the TDP. Backward class are considered TDP’s strong voter base.

“These many atrocities of foisting false cases, arrests were not witnessed even during the emergency. The cases on Atchannaidu, Kollu, Yanamala, Ayyannapatrudu is proof of YSRCP’s retribution on the Backward Classes,” Naidu said.