Did the Supreme Court Deny Bail to Aides of Former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy in the Andhra Pradesh Liquor Scam?

New Delhi, May 16 (NationPress) The Supreme Court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to K. Dhanunjaya Reddy, a retired IAS officer and former secretary to the ex-Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, and Krishna Mohan Reddy, a former Officer on Special Duty (OSD), amidst the ongoing investigation into the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam that allegedly occurred during the rule of the YSR Congress Party.

Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, part of the bench, chose not to interfere with the prior decision made by the Andhra Pradesh High Court that rejected their bail requests.

Nonetheless, the bench led by Justice Pardiwala stated that should the accused face arrest, their applications for regular bail would be evaluated based on their individual merits.

"The principles for granting anticipatory bail differ from those applicable to regular bail. It is the responsibility of the concerned court to apply the correct legal principles for regular bail," the bench remarked.

Previously, in an interim order on Tuesday, the Supreme Court had instructed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) responsible for examining the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam to refrain from arresting the former officials until Friday (May 16), provided they cooperate fully with the investigation.

Now that the special leave petitions (SLPs) submitted to the Supreme Court have been resolved, the aides of former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy are expected to undergo custodial interrogation.

Last week, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had dismissed the bail applications of the former bureaucrats, citing the preliminary stage of the investigation concerning the alleged scam amounting to Rs 3,200 crore.

Dhanunjaya Reddy and Krishna Mohan Reddy, identified as accused numbers 31 and 32 in this case, have been interrogated by the SIT regarding individuals who may have received kickbacks from various distillery companies.

The SIT recently apprehended Govindappa Balaji, Director of Bharathi Cements Corporation, in Karnataka on Tuesday. Following this, he was transported to Vijayawada and presented before the ACB Court, which ordered his judicial custody until May 20.

Balaji, who is claimed to have close ties to Jagan, is noted as accused number 33 in this case and is alleged to have "distributed kickbacks" among members of the liquor syndicate using shell companies.

There are claims that leaders of the YSR Congress Party promoted a new liquor policy, introduced new brands during their rule, accepted kickbacks from distillery firms, and inflicted substantial losses on the government. The TDP-led NDA government established the SIT in November last year to investigate allegations of corruption and irregularities within the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) during the YSRCP era.

TDP leaders allege that certain YSRCP members maintained connections with liquor manufacturers, established shell companies, and engaged in illegal financial activities. The SIT arrested Raj Kasireddy on April 21, who purportedly played a significant role in the alleged illicit collection of nearly Rs 3,000 crore over five years. He served as the IT advisor to Jagan Mohan Reddy.