VIJAYAWADA: The ACB court in Vijayawada on Wednesday reserved its order on the bail petition of Rajampet MP PV Mithun Reddy until September 6. Reddy’s counsel argued that, as the floor leader of the YSRCP in Parliament, he must participate in the Vice-Presidential election scheduled for September 9.
Seeking interim bail, the counsel emphasised that the request was solely to enable Reddy to cast his vote and lead his party MPs during the election process. “Mithun Reddy carries the responsibility of guiding his party members in the Vice-Presidential election. He is prepared to surrender to the court immediately after the voting concludes,” the counsel submitted. The defense also contended that postal ballots were not a viable alternative in this case, as they are not a standard procedure for such elections. They pointed out that Reddy had voluntarily surrendered after the case was filed against him, underscoring his cooperation with the investigation.
Further, the counsel accused the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of attempting to mislead the court to prevent Reddy’s participation in the election. They argued that the Amritpal Singh judgment cited by the SIT was irrelevant to Reddy’s situation.
Countering the plea, the SIT’s counsel maintained that granting interim bail could affect the integrity of the ongoing investigation. They referenced the Amritpal Singh case, noting that the Election Commission had permitted postal ballots in similar circumstances, and Singh had availed that option during the Vice-Presidential election.
Meanwhile, the SIT probing the multi-crore liquor scam has ramped up its operations, conducting a fresh round of searches across Chittoor district and Hyderabad.
SIT raids properties linked to Chevireddy, Mohit Reddy
On Wednesday, four SIT teams carried out inspections at establishments linked to former MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy and his son Chevireddy Mohith Reddy.
Raids were conducted at Isha Infra, a firm owned by Mohith Reddy in Chittoor, as well as at residences and offices in Nalanda Nagar and BV Reddy Colony. Investigators reportedly uncovered discrepancies in company records, with several firms displaying names that did not match official documentation—raising suspicions of shell operations. At the CMR complex in Chittoor, SIT officials found evidence connected to Veltask Food and Beverages, allegedly linked to YSRCP leader Vijayananda Reddy.
Documents indicated financial ties between Mohith Reddy’s firms and companies associated with Vijayananda Reddy. In Hyderabad’s Prashanti Hills, another SIT team raided an office operating under the name ‘Bheem Space’, which bore signage for Isha Infra. Records revealed that Isha Infra’s directors include Bhargava Reddy and Pradyumna—the latter having previously claimed ownership of Rs 8 crore in cash seized during the recent elections.
Sources close to the SIT said the evidence is critical in unraveling the broader financial network behind the scam.