NELLORE: Nellore Mayor Sk Abdul Aziz has landed in trouble with a cheating case booked against his firm in Chennai. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) booked the case under Sections 406, 420, and 506 read with IPC 120-B on December 1.
According to sources, Prasad Gempex, a wing of Anand Cine Services owned by Gemini Group, had lodged a complaint with the CCB against Abdul Aziz and his firm members for utilising their share money not for the intended purpose. According to the company sources, the Mayor and his family members were running Star Agro Marine Exports Private Limited at Devispet in the district and they asked Prasad Gempex to invest in their firm for intensifying aqua trade.
Mayor Aziz’s brother and corporator Jaleel, Anil Koneru and two others were also partners in the agro-marine company. They contacted Prasad Gempex through Anil Koneru inviting investment in the company though it was running in huge losses.
But, failing to check antecedents of the company, Prasad Gempex invested `42 crore in a phased manner within a year through bank transactions. In fact, the company had to involve the investor while taking up business but they simply utilised the money and started exporting the products on their own. They deposited the amount in their own bank accounts after transactions were over and Prasad Gempex raised doubts on the financial activities.
But, the Mayor and his brother corporator allegedly warned the investor not to poke nose into the company affairs and threatened him with dire consequences. Finally, company chief executive Puttu Venkata Ramana Murthy lodged the complaint with the CCB in Chennai for taking action against the Mayor. After verifying the facts, the CCB booked the case. Further, considering huge debts of the company worth `172 crore from various banks as NPA, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) reportedly asked the CBI to check financial activities of the agro company.
“Aziz, Anil Koneru and Jaleel had contacted Akkineni Manohar Prasad, promoter of our company, in August 2016 for investing the money in their aqua group. But, observing the trend of utilisation, we approached the Chennai City Commissioner on October 31 and then on December 1 getting confirmation on the misdeeds of the agro company,” said firm’s chief executive Puttu Venkata Ramana Murthy.