Andhra liquor scam: Kickbacks ''systematically" laundered through office boys or employees, say police

A chargesheet filed by the Andhra Pradesh police in connection with the alleged Rs 3,500-crore liquor scam in a local court alleges that the kickbacks were systematically laundered through low-profile individuals, such as office boys or employees.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged liquor scam filed a supplementary chargesheet on Monday.

"During the course of investigation, it was revealed that the accused have systematically laundered the kickback amount with the help of low-profile individuals who were working as office boys or employees in the companies owned by the accused," officials said quoting the chargesheet.


"Such employees and individuals acted as couriers and mules for depositing illicit cash into a network of bank accounts linked to the syndicate," they added.

This pattern of cash layering and circulation demonstrates a deliberate attempt to conceal the origin of crime proceeds, constituting a classic case of structured money laundering and concealment under the garb of petty deposits, they further said.

A portion of the liquor kickbacks was transferred to the employees and associates of the accused as salary, they further said adding it was also observed that several of such low-profile individuals were made to send the cash deposited into their account to other accused.

The SIT probing the alleged liquor scam arrested several people, including YSRCP Lok Sabha member PV Midhun Reddy, in the case.

In May, the Enforcement Directorate also filed a money laundering case to investigate the alleged liquor scam.

The federal probe agency has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe alleged irregularities in the sales of liquor in the state.

The previous chargesheet filed last month mentioned former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as the recipient of kickbacks averaging Rs 50-Rs 60 crore per month.

The 305-page chargesheet, however, stopped short of naming Jagan accused.

When contacted, former minister and senior YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu told PTI that all the allegations made in the chargesheet are baseless and "created" ones.