VIJAYAWADA: Former Ponnur MLA and senior TDP leader Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar, who was arrested on Friday from his residence in Chintalapudi village of Guntur district and produced before the ACB court in Vijayawada on the same day, was sent to Machilipatnam sub jail on 14-days’ judicial remand on Saturday morning.
Along with Narendra, who was named A1 in the case registered by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly indulging in corruption in Sangam Milk Producers Company Limited (SMPCL), famously known as Sangam Dairy, managing director (MD) of Sangam Dairy P Gopala Krishna (A2 ) was also sent to the sub-jail. A3 in the case, M Gurunadham, is reportedly under medical care as he tested positive for Covid-19.
The hearing in ACB Special Court went on till 12:30 am on Saturday and eventually, Narendra and Gopala Krishnan were sent to judicial remand. Meanwhile, sources said ACB officials are going to file a petition to take Narendra into their custody for further interrogation.
The ACB officials of Guntur unit arrested Narendra and the other two accused and brought them to the ACB office in Gollapudi for questioning on Friday morning. Based on a complaint that Narendra committed grave irregularities with the help of two others, ACB officials filed a case under Sections 13(1)(c)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 408, 409, 418, 420, 465, 471, 120-B r/w 34 of the IPC.
Ayyanna questions arrest
TDP politburo member Ch Ayyanna Patrudu on Saturday strongly objected to the manner in which former MLA Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar was arrested as if he was a terrorist. Ayyanna Patrudu asked the government to explain whether it was wrong on the part of Narendra to bring Sangam Dairy under the Companies Act. Even Visakha Dairy was brought under this Act, but the Jagan did not initiate similar action against it, he pointed out.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, the TDP leader termed it a “sadistic step” on the part of the YSRC government to harass and arrest a leader, who was elected to the Assembly for five consecutive terms. The ACB and the CID officials should discharge their duties in an impartial manner without succumbing to the pressure from the ruling party leaders, he demanded.
The TDP leader deplored that political vendetta seemed to be the only pass time for the present Chief Minister while the general public were suffering greatly because of the rising Covid infections. Ayyanna Patrudu alleged that the AP Police have lost their credibility because of their surrender to the Chief Minister’s wishes for political vengeance.