VIJAYAWADA: The ACB Court in Vijayawada on Wednesday remanded former Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy and realtor Cherukuru Venkatesh Naidu to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the alleged multi-crore liquor scam.
Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials arrested Chevireddy and Venkatesh Naidu at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Tuesday while they were attempting to board a flight to Colombo.
Investigators brought the duo to the SIT office at the Vijayawada City Police Commissionerate, where they were questioned for nearly four hours regarding their alleged role in transporting unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 250 crore during the 2024 general elections.
SIT officials listed Chevireddy as accused number 38, Venkatesh Naidu as accused number 34, and Chevireddy’s son Mohit Reddy as accused number 39 in the FIR. SIT counsel argued before the ACB Court that Chevireddy had plans to flee the country and that officials intercepted him just in time.
“Chevireddy used his gunmen and close aides to move large sums of cash from Hyderabad and Vijayawada to constituencies in Prakasam and Chittoor districts. As the YSRCP was in power, he assured protection for safe cash transport and distribution,” stated the remand report.
The report added that Mohit Reddy had provided a white Toyota Fortuner (Reg No AP 39 BV 3259) to transport the money, which was allegedly sourced from prime accused Kesireddy Rajashekar Reddy, alias Raj Kesireddy.
The SIT linked the seizure of Rs 8 crore from a truck at Garikapadu checkpost in Jaggaiahpeta mandal on May 9, 2024 to Chevireddy’s network.
“Kickbacks from liquor sales and distillery shares were diverted for illegal and undemocratic purposes,” it stated. The SIT corroborated statements from drivers and gunmen using call detail records, tower data, and device activity logs.