Andhra ACB arrests ex-TDP MLA over alleged irregularities in Sangam Dairy

Several TDP leaders including party chief Chandrababu Naidu condemned the arrest.
Andhra ACB arrests ex-TDP MLA over alleged irregularities in Sangam Dairy
Andhra ACB arrests ex-TDP MLA over alleged irregularities in Sangam Dairy
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The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Andhra Pradesh on Friday arrested former Ponnur MLA and senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar and two others for allegedly diverting funds and properties of Sangam Milk Producers Company Limited. Narendra Kumar, who is the chairman of the dairy, and two of his aides have been sent to 14 days of judicial custody. The funds were allegedly diverted for personal use, ACB officials told the media. 

ACB officials from Guntur Range along with 100 police personnel were deployed at Chintalapudi village to arrest Narendra Kumar from his residence, as authorities were expecting resistance from supporters of the TDP leader. He was then shifted to Vijayawada. 

Two other persons accused in the case have been identified as P Gopala Krishnan, the Managing Director of Sangam Dairy and M Gurunadham, District Cooperative Officer of Ongole. ACB officials questioned the three accused for over six hours before they were taken to ESI hospital at Gunadala for medical tests and produced before a local court. 

Following this, the court ordered 14 days judicial remand for Narendra and Krishnan and they were sent to the Vijaywada district jail. The third accused, Gurunadham, tested positive for the coronavirus and was sent to Guntur Government Hospital for treatment, reported The New Indian Express. 

Speaking to a local media outlet, the daughter of the arrested TDP leader claimed that the police barged into their home and accused the YSRCP government of trying to ‘supress’ Sangam Dairy. She expressed hope that her father will be exonerated from the case filed against him. 

Several TDP leaders including party chief Chandrababu Naidu condemned the arrest. TDP leader and MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary accused the YSRCP of attempting to promote one particular dairy outlet in Andhra Pradesh, by harassing other dairy owners in the state. 

YSRCP MLA Kilari Venkata Rosaiah, in response to the allegations, said that the dairy had 77 acres of land belonging to it and accused the former MLA of creating fake certificates and taking loans worth Rs 116 crore, using the land as a security deposit. The MLA accused Narendra of transferring 10 acres of land under Sangam Cooperative Society to his trust without taking permission from the government, according to reports.

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