Investigators are apparently looking at fund transfers to anti-BJP regional parties by those aligned to the TRS.
RAF personnel outside one of the premises raided in Hyderabad in connection with the Delhi liquor scam. (Screen Grab)
It now transpires that there is more to the ongoing raids by central agencies in Telangana on a host of places and people linked to the alleged Delhi liquor scam.
What is worrying those who have maintained relationships with the people reportedly involved in the reframing of the capital’s liquor policy is that the raids are likely to reveal several other transactions, including transfer of funds through questionable means.
Looking at it through a political prism, the primary targets are said to be the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the ruling TRS family of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, with the BJP treating both of them as enemies — the AAP for making inroads in Gujarat and the TRS for getting cosy with ant-BJP regional forces in other states.
According to sources, investigating officers, in the course of questioning those who were raided, have said no one would be able to stop the raids as the go-ahead had come from the top. And the agenda apparently is to get to the bottom of every shady transaction — related not only to the liquor scam, but also to real estate and other business ventures.
The sources suggested that such sustained raids involving hordes of officers would not have happened if the TRS leadership had restricted its focus to the state.
What has irked the top leaders of the BJP was the effort by TRS to rope in other regional leaders, and reportedly even offering some of them monetary help when they faced elections.
While the Enforcement Directorate could not establish any direct link between TRS leaders and those named as accused in the liquor scam, they reportedly found evidence of money transfers to Punjab at the time of the state election, which AAP won handsomely.
Involved in this are businessmen belonging to the same community as Chief Minister KCR’s family.
The information was said to have been gathered during the prolonged search at the office and residence of a chartered accountant who was overseeing the fund management of some members of KCR’s family.
Evidence has thus been gathered against another who runs a chain of restaurants and one more hailing from Karimnagar, the latter identified as V Srinivas Rao.
Both are relatives and reportedly organised private jets and other services. One of them has been a long-standing friend of a member of KCR family.
Interestingly, the ruling BJP is said to have kept a close track of the dealings in the liquor trade, and allowed the “stakes” to be committed before utilising the information when it felt the time was right to strike — in a classic example of killing two birds with one stone.
Amidst the liquor scam-related raids, what has gone unnoticed is that one more raid was conducted on real estates firms Phoenix and Sreenidhi — in connection with real estate transactions, and investigation is currently on to establish a nexus, if any.
However, the extent of push the agencies will give to take this investigation to its logical conclusion will depend on the outcome of the by-election to Munugode Assembly election.
As of now it appears that former Congress MLA Rajagopal Reddy, who resigned and switched to the BJP causing the by-poll, is not in a comfortable situation.
If the TRS or the Congress manage to trounce Reddy, the BJP will be halted in the tracks. If Reddy indeed manages to win, it could be more trouble to TRS.
The chances of the latter happening are remote, if the current mood is any indication.
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