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.

UP govt unveils Maya’s statues

                                                              
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has started uncovering the statues of Chief Minister Mayawati and her poll symbol, the elephant on Sunday.

The Election Commission, yesterday, asked the state government to uncover the statues.


"The EC Secretary has written a letter to the UP Chief Secretary stating that the statues draped following its January eight order should be uncovered forthwith," UP Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said.

The EC had said the statues should be uncovered as the poll process was over in the state.

The Election Commission on January 07 ordered to drape the statues of Mayawati and BSP’s poll symbol, the elephant dotted across the state should be draped till the Assembly elections are over.

Y S Jagan group MLCs will meet same fate as MLAs: Government Chief Whip

                                                      

District Congress president and Government Chief Whip G. V. Ramana Reddy said on Saturday that the MLCs owing allegiance to Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy would also be disqualified soon.

Though three Congress MLCs -- Konda Murali, Pulla Padmavathi (both from Warangal) and S.V.Mohan Reddy (Chittoor) -- have been backing Mr. Jaganmohan and even understood to have submitted their resignations to the Chairman in January, no decision has been taken yet.

In such a case, two MLCs from the district – P. Padmavathi and K Muralidhar Rao -- would lose their membership of the Council. Ms. Padmavathi was elected to the council on MLAs quota for a six-year term and has another three years to go while K. Muralidhar Rao who was elected under local bodies' quota in 2009 has two more years, according to party sources.

Speaking to newsmen here, he said the disqualification of MLAs by the party would serve as warning to all those who defied the party. The MLCs too who time and again criticised the party and backed the YSRCP would face the same fate sooner or later.

Special Correspondent from Hyderabad adds: The disqualification of 16 ruling party MLAs by Speaker N. Manohar on Friday has not found any echo yet in the Legislative Council. The Upper House has a 10-day recess and will assemble on March 14.

Mr. Jupudi Prabhakar Rao, nominated under the Governor's quota and three other rebel candidates elected with the backing of YSRCP – Desai Thippa Reddy (Chittoor), Meka Seshu Babu (WG) and C.Narayana Reddy (Kadapa) are known loyalists of Jagan.

Political scene hots up in West Godavari

                                                         
The political situation in West Godavari district is hotting up with the disqualification of two Jagan group MLAs from the district—Mudunuri Prasada Raju of Narsapur and Tellam Balaraju from the ST-reserved Polavaram Assembly segment.

As by-election in these two segments has become imminent, major political parties have begun an exercise in pursuit of ‘winning horses’. The YSR Congress Party enjoys an advantage in this regard as it does not have to search for candidates.

According to insiders, the Congress is quite likely to field Kothapalli Subbarayudu, former minister who defected from the TDP and joined the ruling party along with the PRP chief K. Chiranjeevi, in Narsapur.

As for the YSR Congress, we are ready for elections,” party district president Moshen Raju told to media . The party has set up the district and mandal-level organisational apparatuses. Mr. Raju said the district party was planning to bring the YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to Narsapur shortly for election campaign.

Deepak Reddy, son -in-law of former Congress minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy, who joined the Telugu Desam is said to have an edge over others, according to the survey reports. “We may win six to seven seats and the TD two to three seats in the 17 bypoll segments, it is certain that Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy cannot ensure the return of all the 17 rebels,” said the source.

Hyderabad:CM Kiran launches ‘King-I Tablet PC

                                                                                           

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy launched 'King-I tablet PC' to the Indian market here today. On the occasion, the Chief Minister congratulated Marketing Head, India, King-I Tab Trading Private Limited R Tenneti for the launch and presen

He congratulated R. Tenneti, marketing head, India, King-I Tab Trading Private limited, on the launch and presented the Tatblet PC to Government Whip T. Jayaprakash Reddy.

Mr. Tenneti said that they were the manufacturers and suppliers of a wide range of Tablet PCs that come in 25 different models and in four different sizes.

Mr. Tenneti has also informed that King-I Tab is ready to set up a manufacturing unit at Hyderabad.

Hyderabad:By-poll 67 candidates in fray

                                                              

As many as 67 candidates remained in the fray for the by-election to the seven Assembly constituencies, after withdrawals on Saturday. Kovur has the maximum number of 14 candidates followed by Mahabubnagar with 13 and Nagarkurnool 11.

The Election Commission was examining the complaints that Information Minister  Aruna was ‘misusing' her position as Minister in Mahabubnagar district and that the Congress candidate at the place held a meeting in a church.

The number of voters in these constituencies has gone up by 11,962 to 13,81,443 as voter enrolment was allowed till the last date of nominations, said Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal at a media conference here on Saturday.

He said so far, 72,000 litres of liquor and Rs. 3.6 crore of cash had been seized in these districts. In all, 358 persons were arrested in connection with liquor seizures and another 240 for misuse of vehicles. Besides, 1,793 persons were bound over and 382 arms impounded. Mr. Bhanwar Lal said he had received 10 complaints relating to code violations.

 

He announced that the MD of the AP Beverages Corporation, sole supplier of liquor to wine shops in the State, would be held answerable if the outgo of liquor during the period from February 16 to March 18, the polling day, exceeded that of the corresponding period last year.

Similarly, steps were being taken in coordination with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to check cash transactions at ATMs of banks in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Warangal, Mahabubnagar, and Nellore districts where these constituencies were located.