VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court dealt a setback to K Dhanunjaya Reddy, a retired IAS officer and former secretary of ex-CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, former OSD Krishna Mohan Reddy, and Bharati Cements Director Balaji Govindappa, accused in the liquor scam case.
On Wednesday, Justice T Mallikharjuna Rao rejected their anticipatory bail pleas, citing the preliminary stage of the investigation, and serious allegations involving Rs 3,200 crore in bribes.
The court noted the gravity of the charges against the petitioners, who have yet to be interrogated. It emphasised that custodial interrogation is critical to fully investigate the allegations, warning that denying it could compromise the investigation’s integrity and lead to procedural lapses.
The court highlighted that such interrogation is vital to uncovering key details in the liquor scam. Initial evidence, including witness statements, points to the petitioners’ involvement in a criminal conspiracy tied to the liquor policy.
The CID’s evidence and the severity of the allegations were deemed undeniable by the court. To expose the wider conspiracy behind the liquor policy, the petitioners must be questioned with the collected evidence.
Granting anticipatory bail would obstruct the probe, the court ruled, referencing the legal principle that such bail is not routinely granted. Only exceptional circumstances justify court intervention, and no valid grounds were found here, leading to the dismissal of the bail petitions of the trio.