Andhra Pradesh liquor scam: Accused Saif Ahmed files surrender petition in Vijayawada
Synopsis
A key accused in the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam has voluntarily approached the ACB Court in Vijayawada to surrender — even as the Supreme Court rejected former minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao's anticipatory bail and the SIT tightens its grip with 17 arrests. The case, spanning bribery networks and tender manipulation from 2020 to 2024, is entering its most consequential phase yet.
Key Takeaways
Saif Ahmed , Accused Number 10 in the AP liquor scam, filed a surrender petition before the ACB Court, Vijayawada on 30 July .
Ahmed allegedly fled India after the case was registered and is described as a key aide of main accused Raj Kesireddy .
The SIT has arrested 17 accused so far and is likely to take Ahmed into custody for questioning.
The Supreme Court dismissed former minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao's anticipatory bail petition, upholding the Telangana High Court order of 3 July .
Last week, the SIT took custody of three key accused — Donthireddy Vasudeva Reddy , Raj Kesireddy , and Karumuri Sunil — all sent to judicial custody for two weeks .
The case involves alleged manipulation of the APSBCL liquor transportation tender between 2020 and 2024 .
An accused in the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam, Saif Ahmed, has filed a petition before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court in Vijayawada on Thursday, 30 July, seeking permission to surrender. Ahmed, who allegedly fled the country after the case was registered, moved the court through his legal counsel.
Who Is Saif Ahmed
Listed as Accused Number 10 in the case, Saif Ahmed is described by investigators as a key aide of Kesireddy Rajasekhar Reddy, also known as Raj Kesireddy, the principal accused in the scam. According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Ahmed and other associates of Raj Kesireddy allegedly served as handlers and logistics coordinators for bribes collected from distilleries and liquor supply companies.
SIT Likely to Take Ahmed Into Custody
The SIT, which has so far arrested 17 accused in the case, is likely to take Ahmed into custody for questioning once the court processes his surrender petition. His voluntary approach to the court marks a significant development in an investigation that has already seen multiple high-profile arrests.
Supreme Court Rejects Former Minister's Bail Plea
In a related development, the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the anticipatory bail petition of former minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana upheld the earlier order of the Telangana High Court, which had dismissed Rao's petition on 3 July. Rao's counsel argued that he had no connection with the scam and cited his health condition in seeking relief — arguments the court did not accept.
The Liquor Transportation Scam: Background
The liquor transportation case is being investigated under a separate Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and centres on the alleged manipulation of the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation (APSBCL) liquor transportation tender process between 2020 and 2024. Last week, the SIT took custody of three key accused — former APSBCL Managing Director Donthireddy Vasudeva Reddy, Raj Kesireddy, and Karumuri Sunil — who were brought from Chanchalguda Central Jail in Hyderabad to Vijayawada for further interrogation. The court subsequently sent all three to judicial custody for two weeks.
What Comes Next
With the surrender petition now before the ACB Court and the SIT actively interrogating multiple accused, the investigation appears to be entering a critical phase. The outcome of Ahmed's petition and his subsequent questioning could yield fresh leads in a case that has already ensnared a former minister, a senior corporation official, and several alleged bribe handlers.
Point of View
And signals that the accused may be seeking to negotiate the terms of his re-entry into the legal process. More telling is the Supreme Court's refusal to grant anticipatory bail to a former minister, which removes a key protective shield and signals judicial impatience with high-profile defendants in this case. With 17 arrests, SIT custody of the main accused, and a former minister now fully exposed to arrest, the AP liquor scam investigation has moved past the preliminary stage. The real question now is whether the interrogation of these accused will surface the political chain of command that allegedly enabled the tender manipulation to run unchecked for four years.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Saif Ahmed in the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam?
Saif Ahmed is listed as Accused Number 10 in the AP liquor scam and is described as a key aide of main accused Raj Kesireddy. He allegedly served as a handler and logistics coordinator for bribes collected from distilleries and liquor supply companies, and had reportedly left India after the case was registered.
What is the Andhra Pradesh liquor transportation scam?
The AP liquor transportation scam involves the alleged manipulation of the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation (APSBCL) liquor transportation tender process between 2020 and 2024. It is being investigated under a separate Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), with the SIT having arrested 17 accused so far.
Why did the Supreme Court reject Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao's bail?
The Supreme Court dismissed former minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao's anticipatory bail petition, upholding the Telangana High Court's order of 3 July. His counsel's arguments — that he had no connection with the scam and that his health warranted relief — were not accepted by the bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana.
Who were the three key accused taken into SIT custody last week?
The SIT last week took custody of former APSBCL Managing Director Donthireddy Vasudeva Reddy, main accused Raj Kesireddy, and Karumuri Sunil. All three were brought from Chanchalguda Central Jail in Hyderabad to Vijayawada for interrogation, and the court sent them to judicial custody for two weeks.
What happens after Saif Ahmed's surrender petition is heard?
Once the ACB Court in Vijayawada processes Ahmed's surrender petition, the SIT is likely to take him into custody for questioning. His interrogation could yield fresh leads given his alleged role as a logistics coordinator for bribe collection in the scam.
