GUNTUR: In a major development, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Vidadala Gopi, brother-in-law of former Andhra Pradesh minister and YSRCP Chilakaluripet in-charge Vidadala Rajini, in connection with an alleged extortion case.
Gopi was taken into custody in the early hours near Wipro Circle in Hyderabad and later moved to the Gachibowli police station. He is being shifted to Vijayawada for further interrogation.
The ACB has registered a case against Rajini, suspended IPS officer Palle Joshua, Gopi, and Rajini’s personal assistant Dodda Ramakrishna for abuse of power, criminal misconduct, and extortion during the previous YSRCP regime. The four are accused of extorting Rs 2.2 crore from the owner of Sri Lakshmi Balaji Stone Crusher in Yadlapadu, Palnadu district.
The Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) department initiated an inquiry following a complaint, uncovering systematic misuse of authority. Based on the findings, the State government granted approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to proceed with the probe.
According to the complaint, Rajini and Joshua allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore to permit the stone crusher’s operations to continue. The V&E probe confirmed that Rs 2 crore was paid to Rajini and Rs 10 lakh each to Joshua and Ramakrishna. The case has been registered under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Sections 384 (extortion) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
Rajini has been named as the prime accused (A1), followed by Joshua (A2), Gopi (A3), and Ramakrishna (A4). Both Rajini and Gopi had moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking anticipatory bail. While their petitions were still under judicial consideration, ACB officials proceeded with Gopi’s arrest.