Andhra minister asked to quit over bribe charge

Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramna is under pressure to resign following an allegation that he accepted a bribe of Rs.10 lakh from a liquor trader.

A day after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) mentioned his name in its report filed in a court here, the minister Wednesday called on state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana and Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.

He reportedly sought a “comprehensive probe” into the allegation.

Mopidevi is under pressure from opposition parties to resign.

Nunna Venkataramna, a liquor trader who runs liquor syndicates in Warangal and Khammam districts, told the ACB that he paid Rs.10 lakh to the minister.

According to the ACB report filed to seek Nunna’s custody, he also revealed that regular bribes were paid to politicians of various parties, excise officials and journalists.

This, he said, was done so that liquor is sold above the maximum retail price and to commit other irregularities.

The trader, arrested during raids on the liquor mafia, also alleged that bribes were paid to two legislators of the Congress and TDP and leaders of CPI-M, CPI-ML New Democracy, BJP and TRS.

He named all the leaders in his confession.

The liquor syndicate leader made the sensational disclosure that he personally handed over money to the minister at his residence in Hyderabad in the presence of a classmate of the minister.

The minister, however, has denied the allegations and said Nunna had a criminal background.

Nunna was a constable in the railway police in Warangal when he was removed from his job for allegedly selling ganja. He then started a liquor business.

Though he failed to get a license due to cases pending against him, he emerged as a key lobby leader in the two districts.

According to the ACB, he has stakes in 29 liquor shops and is involved with 10 liquor syndicates. He is also believed to have influence over 80 liquor shops.

The liquor scam came to light in December last year when the ACB seized Rs.3.62 lakh paid by liquor dealers to excise officials.

The disclosure is likely to cause a political storm ahead of the budget session of the legislature beginning Feb 13.

The opposition has been asking the government to make public details of the ACB raids on liquor syndicates across the state. The ACB has conducted raids in several districts in the last two months.