Jagan Mohan Reddy presided over meetings leading to liquor scam decisions, alleges AP Police

The Andhra Pradesh Police has alleged in a supplementary charge sheet that former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy was involved in key decisions that led to the ₹3,500 crore liquor scam, but stopped short of naming him as an accused.

The special investigation team (SIT) of state police alleged in a 124-page supplementary charge sheet that Reddy presided over numerous meetings that finalised appointments to Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Ltd (APSBCL) and led to policy changes to facilitate the alleged scam.

Without naming Reddy, the charge sheet elaborated on a June 21, 2019, meeting, saying, "The then Hon'ble chief minister had granted his approval for the interim arrangement by extending the licence period of A4 shops and licences granted to hybrid hypermarkets till 30.09.2019 and further directed to make all arrangements for procuring the premises for A4 shops and identifying the personnel for managing the A4 shops as they will be run as Govt. shops from 01.10.2019."

The charge sheet also flagged a meeting in July "chaired by" Reddy where a number of shops, hiring of shop premises, shop infrastructure and manpower were discussed. "Accordingly, pursuant to such discussion, draft operational guidelines were also submitted for establishment and running of 35,000 retail outlets by APSBCL for approval of the government," it said.

In its 305-page charge sheet filed in July, the SIT had linked Reddy to monthly kickbacks to the tune of ₹50-60 crore per month. So far, Reddy has not been named as an accused.

The supplementary charge sheet also alleged that kickbacks were laundered through office boys and other low-profile individuals. The SIT has named former Andhra intelligence chief, IPS officer PSR Anjaneyulu and consulting firm KPMG. Though KPMG officials have not been accused in the case, the supplementary charge sheet alleged that the accounting firm was hired without following due tender process only to give credence to a predetermined action to facilitate the alleged liquor scam.

KPMG had helped the government in shifting from automated indentation process to manual.

The supplementary charge sheet said, "Several illegalities have been identified during the course of investigation while modifying the then existing Excise Policy in the year 2019. The hiring of the consultancy firm M/s. KPMG Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. was intended to lend credibility to a flawed excise policy."