The Telugu Desam, on Wednesday, had a field day with excise minister Mopidevi Venkataramana being accused of taking `10 lakh as kickback from the liquor syndicate. The party even said that the minister’s son Mopidevi Rajeev had benefitted due to his father’s position.
The TD alleged that Mr Rajeev got state-wide sales and marketing rights of Black Eagle Xtra Beer manufactured by Belgiumbased liquor major InBev due to his father’s influence. According to Telugu Desam spokesman, Mr Varla Ramaiah, Mr Rajeev, who has stakes in the capital partnership firm Credence Venture, got the marketing rights of the famous brand last year.
“The excise minister is trying to act innocent. How could his 22-year-old son get the marketing rights of a branded beer without his support? Excise officials who take bribes of `10,000 are sacked while the minister who allegedly took `10 lakh is allowed to go scotfree,” he alleged.
Telugu Desam spokesperson, Mr Varla Ramaiah, released photo copies of the agreement of distribution and marketing of Black Eagle Xtra Beer in Andhra Pradesh, awarded to Credence Venture Capital firm, in which Mr Rajeev and one Ms Venkateswaramma are partners. Gurgaon-based InBev India International Pvt Ltd had issued distribution and marketing rights to Credence Venture Capital on July 11, 2011.
The TD leader also
expressed his surprise at the minister feigning ignorance about liquor syndicate leader Nunna Venkataramana who claimed to have paid the kickbacks while accusing him as a criminal. “The minister claims he doesn’t know Venkataramana, yet he labels him as a criminal,” he said.
Mr Ramaiah added that while the Chief Minister was trying to blackmail the ministers, the latter in turn were repeating the same.
“Mr Botsa Satyanarayana himself claimed that his relatives owned 31 liquor shops.
Why is the CM hesitating to take action against him?” he asked.
Alleging that Congress leaders and ministers had turned into a liquor mafia in the state, the TD leader said, “After Mr Mopidevi Venkataramana took over as the excise minister, he took several decisions pertaining to the liquor trade in the state. Liquor is now flowing like water. He gave permission to manufacture an additional 3.71 crore litres of liquor,” he disclosed.
Last year, the government had reduced stakes of popular brands like Kingfisher beer which had 95 per cent market and encouraged new brands to enter the field.
