VIJAYAWADA: In a major development in the multi-crore liquor scam, two accused, Dhanunjaya Reddy and Krishna Mohan Reddy, were allegedly taken into custody on Friday and are expected to be produced in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Vijayawada on Saturday.
However, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) did not officially confirm the duo’s arrest or court production. The move follows the Supreme Court’s dismissal of their anticipatory bail petitions on Friday, prompting the police to initiate coercive action. The two former government officials had been questioned by the SIT for three days before being arrested on Friday.
According to sources, the SIT officials informed the families of Dhanunjaya and Krishna Mohan about the arrest and served notices as per procedure. The FIR identifies Dhanunjaya as A31 and Krishna Mohan as A32. With their arrest, the total number of accused in custody has risen to seven, including Raj Kesireddy (A1), B Chanakya (A8), Sajjala Sridhar Reddy (A6), P Deelip (PA to Raj Kesireddy), and Balaji Govindappa (A33).
“The duo will be produced in court on Saturday after a medical exam,” SIT sources said. On Tuesday, Govindappa was arrested in Karnataka, and brought to Vijayawada under a transit warrant. Govindappa, allegedly a close aide of former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, is accused of distributing kickbacks among liquor syndicate members through shell firms and is currently in judicial remand. A day after Govindappa’s arrest, both Dhanunjaya and Krishna appeared before the SIT along with their legal counsel on Wednesday.
The SIT remand report alleges that Balaji, along with Jagan Mohan, Mithun, Raj Kesireddy, ex-MP Vijay Sai Reddy, Dhanunjay, and Krishna Mohan, orchestrated a network that received kickbacks from liquor firms. The SIT is analysing evidence. ED officials submitted a fresh petition in the ACB court seeking custody of prime accused Kesireddy Rajashekar Reddy alias Raj Kesireddy for three days. Hearing was postponed on Monday.