ANANTAPUR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted surprise checks at the residences of former Tadipatri MLA and senior leader JC Prabhakar Reddy and his close aide at Tadipatri in Anantapur on Friday. The searches reportedly were part of the investigation into a registration scam involving the TDP leader, sources said.
The ED officials, with central forces in tow, reached the residences of Prabhakar Reddy and his aide C Gopal Reddy early on Friday. The local police were used only for bandobust duty outside the MLA’s house. No one was allowed near the residence of the politician.
Prabhakar Reddy was allegedly involved in the registration scam involving BS-III and IV vehicles, which were scrapped following Supreme Court orders in 2017. It has been alleged that vehicles meant to be scrapped were purchased by preparing fake invoices and insurance certificates, and then registered as new vehicles in Nagaland.
More than 150 vehicles were registered as new ones. Some of them were sold, while others were brought to Andhra Pradesh.
The transport department found the irregularities a couple of years ago and nearly 27 cases were registered against Prabhakar Reddy, Gopal Reddy and others. The political was earlier arrested, and released on bail, in the case. Sources said the State Transport department had sent a report to the Union Ministry of Transport as it involved fraudulent registration of vehicles in another State.