Is Jagan the True Architect Behind the Liquor Scandal?

Amaravati, July 20 (NationPress) The All India Congress Committee in-charge for Andhra Pradesh, Manickam Tagore, has accused former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of being the true architect of the liquor scam that unfolded during the rule of the YSR Congress Party in the state.

He claimed that Jagan’s liquor mafia has devastated the lives of one crore poor families in Andhra Pradesh.

In a recent post on social media platform X, Tagore asserted that reputable liquor brands were replaced with inferior, harmful alternatives in exchange for Rs 3,200 crore in bribes.

Commenting on the arrest of YSR Congress Party MP, P. V. Midhun Reddy, Tagore stated that the MP is merely a pawn in a larger scheme, emphasizing that the real masterminds are Mr. and Mrs. Jagan.

“This was not an accidental scam. It was a meticulously orchestrated, top-down operation characterized by Jagan’s scientific corruption. Liquor brands were selectively chosen, the distribution network was established, kickbacks were pre-arranged, and dummy firms were created. Policies were rewritten to legitimize the theft,” he wrote.

According to Tagore, Jagan’s party leaders collaborated with selected liquor suppliers, removing established, trusted brands from the market to replace them with lesser-known brands owned by proxies, which were then sold at inflated prices through state outlets.

The MP alleged that profit margins were artificially inflated. “Commissions were funneled through fraudulent invoices and service agreements. Shell companies were established in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Visakhapatnam to launder the illicit funds,” he mentioned.

He further claimed that even transportation and warehousing contracts were granted to proxy firms, falsely categorized as logistics expenses but actually serving as conduits to siphon off public funds.

Tagore asserted that an ecosystem was constructed to benefit three groups: Mr. and Mrs. Jagan, select ministers, and compliant contractors.

“According to the findings of the SIT, at least Rs 3,200 crore was diverted between 2020-2024. A portion of this was channeled into the 2024 election campaign, distributed as cash and liquor to purchase votes and manage booths,” he elaborated.

He pointed out that several of the counterfeit liquor brands lacked manufacturing facilities, borrowing licenses and operating from dubious bottling units while paying hefty bribes daily to remain in operation. “Midhun Reddy’s name appears on records — not merely as a participant but as a key operator. He played a role in coordinating between the Excise Department and political offices, managing shell companies that concealed the flow of bribes,” he stated.

Tagore noted that this is not Jagan’s first involvement in corruption. “He is already the main accused in a Rs 43,000 crore illegal assets case filed by the CBI. He was arrested in 2012 and spent over 16 months in prison. Corruption is inherent to Jagan’s operations,” he posted.

He concluded by stating that the liquor scam is merely the latest in a series of betrayals. “Scams involving the sand mafia, mining, land allotment, and insider trading around Amaravati have occurred. Now, the liquor heist jeopardizes public health. The victims remain the same: the poor, the voiceless, and the voters,” he added.