ACB, which conducted raids on liquor syndicates across AP in recent times, exploded another bombshell saying that the liquor syndicates in North Coastal AP spent Rs.5.54 Cr towards kickbacks to excise officials, politicians and media persons.
The entries revealed that a minister was paid Rs. 20 lakh in two installments and another minister was paid Rs. 1.20 lakh as bribes by liquor syndicates.
Reports said books seized by ACB during the raids indicated that kickbacks in Srikakulam district alone amounted to Rs. 4.5 Cr. The entries made out in the books, as revealed by ACB supplementary report, indicated that bribes to the tune of Rs.1 Cr were paid to politicians and others by Ganesh syndicate. Another syndicate group namely ‘Janapriya’ paid bribes worth Rs.30 lakh.
The entries also said an amount of Rs. 3,58,84,536 was paid to excise officials, Rs. 4,58,620 to police officers, Rs. 1,10,200 to Revenue staff and Rs.1 lakh to a senior reporter.
Meanwhile, most of the excise and ACB officials have applied for leave unable to bear the brunt of pressure from all possible angles in their work. (JUBS)
