Andra Pradesh : Five excise babus in ACB net

                                            
HYDERABAD/ KHAMMAM/ WARANGAL: Continuing with the crackdown on the liquor mafia, the Special Investigation Team of the Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted simultaneous raids on the offices and residences of excise officials in Hyderabad, Khammam and Warangal. The ACB sleuths also raided some liquor shops and seized key documents relating to the liquor syndicate in Khammam apart from taking five officials into custody for questioning.

built up with search warrants, ACB officials on Saturday morning conducted raids on the residences of Warangal deputy commissioner of Prohibition and Excise AV Narasinga Rao in Hyderabad and Warangal. Raids were also conducted on the residences of Khammam range superintendent K Madhusudhan Rao at Kothapet in Hyderabad and Khammam. Raids were also conducted on their offices in Warangal and Khammam where various key documents were said to have been seized. Later, the ACB sleuths booked cases against Narasinga Rao and Madhusudhan Rao for possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income and they were taken into custody at Hyderabad. Khammam assistant superintendent of Excise P Shankaraiah and Madhusudhan Rao’s camp clerk Pradeep also were taken into custody from Chittoor and Warangal respectively.

During searches in the residence of Madhusudhan Rao, the SIT officials seized `1 lakh cash and valuable documents of immovable assets. They also opened the lockers in a private bank and seized 30 tola gold ornaments and other documents. Sources said that Madhusudhan Rao has confessed about his connections with liquor syndicates.

The special teams also raided liquor shops belonging to the kingpins Nunna Ramana and Babji in Sattupalli, while another team raided the office of the deputy excise superintendent in Kothagudem.

The ACB sleuths also raided the residence of Khammam excise circle inspector Sarveswaranath in Khammam and Warangal. Several documents documents were also seized which reportedly revealed he had assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.