The TDP and YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh are embroiled in yet another row, with unaccounted cash being found in a vehicle allegedly connected to YSRCP leaders. TDP leaders have accused Ongole MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, who is also state Minister for Energy, of being involved in corrupt activities and illegally hoarding and transporting cash.
The vehicle was on its way to Chennai in Tamil Nadu.
TDP MLC Nara Lokesh, son of former CM Chandrababu Naidu, wrote on Twitter, “@ysjagan’s sand, land and wine has been seized in Tamil Nadu. A car with Minister’s followers and a Minister’s sticker were found to be transporting Rs 5.27 crore. One can understand the extent of YSRCP leaders’ corruption, looking at the cash being moved to other states.”
.@ysjagan గారి సాండ్,ల్యాండ్, వైన్ తమిళనాడు లో దొరికిపోయింది. మంత్రి అనుచరులు, మంత్రి స్టిక్కర్ ఉన్న కారులో 5.27 కోట్లు తరలిస్తూ పట్టుబడ్డారు.ఇతర రాష్ట్రాలకు తరలిపోతున్న డబ్బుల కట్టలు చూస్తే యుశ్రారైకాపా ఎమ్మెల్యేల దోపిడీ ఏ రేంజ్ లో ఉందొ అర్థం అవుతుంది. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/v0s6gNsOH0
— Lokesh Nara #StayHomeSaveLives (@naralokesh) July 16, 2020
The car was reportedly found to have a sticker with Prakasam district Giddalur MLA Anna Rambabu’s name on it. It has since been alleged that the people in the vehicle were YSRCP followers, and the cash was connected to Minister Balineni.
Responding to the accusations, Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy told reporters, “I got to know that a vehicle was caught on its way to Chennai. The media is reporting that the police found a sticker on the car with my name. The media needs to look into it, the sticker was a photocopy. Since the drivers in the car were from Ongole, they are saying that the cash in the car could belong to Ongole MLA (Balineni himself). But the cash is in no way related to me. I request that a thorough inquiry be held into this matter.”
While the TDP has called for his resignation and dismissal, Balineni has stated that he would resign as MLA and as Minister, if it could be proved that the unaccounted cash was connected to him.
Meanwhile, a gold businessman from Ongole, Nallamilli Bala Rama Girish, issued a statement to the press saying the cash found in the car belonged to him. “Due to COVID-19 lockdown, our stock had cleared out. We were going to Chennai to buy jewellery (for our business) and were taking the cash along, when it was seized by Income Tax authorities,” he wrote in a press statement, adding that the money was solely from sales made during the 4 months since lockdown started.