Hyderabad:The Delhi liquor scam is creating a sensation in the state. Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials not only conducted a series of searches in Hyderabad but also called prominent businessman Venmaneni Srinivasa Rao to their office and interrogated him for about seven hours. It seems that these searches were conducted on Monday on the basis of preliminary information which revealed that investments were made in the companies that got the liquor supply contract from Delhi. The searches were carried out at Venmaneni's house and office in Banjara Hills and IT companies in Ramanthapur and Madhapur.
Gorantla's associates are key in the case
The ED officials, investigating the diversion of funds in the liquor scam, conducted searches at 40 locations across the country, including the Gorantla Associates office in Domalguda, Hyderabad last Friday. It seems that Gorantla Associates has conducted auditing for the Hyderabad companies that have got the contract for the supply of liquor to Delhi. That is why the ED officials conducted searches there and seized a large number of files and hard disks.
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When these were analyzed, it was found that the details of the flow of funds into the organizations related to Delhi's liquor business were found, on the basis of which the ED searches were conducted on Monday. It is reported that the organizations involved in the bribes given in Delhi received funds from here. With that, the ED officials started to find out who these funds belong. It seems that Venmaneni Srinivasa Rao was interrogated in their office as part of this.
Who is 'Vennamaneni'?
Venmaneni Srinivasa Rao, a resident of Potugal village, Mustabad Mandal, Sirisilla district, owns several businesses. In particular, there seems to be an investment in the granite business in Karimnagar and sand quarries in Warangal and Khammam districts. Srinivasa Rao, who also runs a real estate business in Hyderabad, is said to have close ties with leading politicians in the state.
Moreover, it seems that Srinivasa Rao is the brother-in-law of Premsagar Gandra, who is the co-director of Robin Distilleries of Arun Ramachandra Pillai, who was named as an accused in the same case. Due to this, ED is suspecting that the money went step by step from the lower level to the Delhi liquor contracts. ED has started to take steps to find out who is behind them.
Who owns those software companies?
The ED conducted searches at Venmaneni's house and offices in Banjara Hills. Searches were also conducted in two software companies located in Madhapur and Ramanthapur (Pragathinagar). A company set up in 2016 for software development was shifted to Ramantapur in November last year. It has four directors. Some prominent politicians of the state are believed to have close links with this organization. Another software company established in 2019 at Gutla Begumpet in Madhapur was also searched. It has three directors.
Investigation to the final stage
In the wake of the latest searches, it seems that the investigation of the liquor smuggling case has reached its final stage. Where did the investments start? It is reported that the ED officials have succeeded in finding out where they have reached, and soon there is a possibility of issuing notices to some other prominent people and investigating them. It is expected that this case will become more sensational in the coming days.
