Betrayal: Vijaysai Reddy met TDP leader TD Janardan in a secret meeting before CID probe, says Jagan

Amaravati: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused ex-MP V. Vijayasai Reddy of betrayal, citing video evidence of a secret meeting between Vijayasai Reddy and senior TDP leader TD Janardhan.

The video, released by YSRCP, allegedly shows Vijayasai Reddy entering Villa No. 27 in Park Ville, Tadepalli — a property owned by film producer Adi Seshagiri Rao — on March 11 at 5:49 PM. Shortly after, TDP’s Janardhan also entered the same villa. The two reportedly held a private 45-minute meeting and left separately.

Jagan claimed the meeting took place just before Vijayasai Reddy appeared before the CID and made serious allegations against Jagan. "I trusted Vijayasai Reddy and sent him to the Rajya Sabha. He resigned despite having three and a half years left in his term — all to benefit N. Chandrababu Naidu. Isn’t this betrayal?" Jagan told the media.

Vijayasai Reddy’s Resignation:

In January 2025, Vijayasai Reddy resigned from the Rajya Sabha, citing personal reasons. In a post on X, he asserted that his resignation was not motivated by the hope of another position or monetary gain, and claimed that no one influenced his decision. He also said he would not be joining any political party.

Long Standing Friendship:

His resignation in January was a big blow to the YSRCP, given that he is said to be the 'umbilical cord between the BJP and the YSRCP', when the party was in power. Known to be among the top brass in the party, filling the gap has been difficult task for YS Jagan.

Liquor Scam Probe and SIT Interrogation:

As per the remand report; Kasireddy Rajashekar Reddy was the “key person” in a conspiracy, involving other senior YSRCP figures like P Mithun Reddy and V Vijayasai Reddy (VSR). The scam involves allegations that YSRCP leaders colluded with officials to float distilleries, introduced nearly 30 new liquor brands, and insisted on cash-only transactions between 2019 and 2024.

In April, Vijayasai Reddy was questioned by the SIT in Vijayawada as part of an investigation into an alleged liquor scam during the YSRCP government’s tenure.

Vijayasai Reddy told the media he had no knowledge of kickbacks or illicit dealings, stating: “Only Kasireddy Rajashekar Reddy can reveal details about the ₹100 crore loan, the creation of new distilleries, and the closure of some others.”

Background on the Liquor Scam

The YSRCP government implemented a new liquor policy in 2019, claiming it was part of a phased prohibition plan. Under this policy, the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) took control of nearly 3,500 liquor stores. Store hours were cut, prices increased, and popular brands were replaced with little-known alternatives — dubbed 'Jagan brands' — such as Boom, President Medal, Napoleon, and Block Buster.

On April 21, SIT arrested Kasireddy Rajashekar Reddy — former IT adviser to Jagan — along with his assistant Dilip Kumar and another accused, Chanaky, at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The remand report claims Kasireddy orchestrated monthly kickbacks of nearly ₹60 crore from distillers, allegedly funneled through intermediaries with Jagan's knowledge.

The SIT has also questioned other political figures, including PV Midhun Reddy and Vijayasai Reddy.

In May 2025, the SIT arrested Govindappa Balaji, director of Bharathi Cements, in connection with the liquor scam. Balaji is accused of handling financial transactions and facilitating kickbacks, reportedly on behalf of Bharathi — wife of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. His bail plea is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Kakinada Port Case and CID Investigation:

Following his resignation, Vijayasai Reddy was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Kakinada Deep Water Port (KDWP) case. The probe centers on allegations that Aurobindo Realty & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. (ARIPL) — owned by his son-in-law — acquired shares in KDWP through coercive means.

The complaint was filed by Karnati Venkateswara Rao (KV Rao), former CMD of Kakinada Seaports Ltd (KSPL), who alleged that his family-owned company, Kakinada Infrastructure Holdings Pvt Ltd, was stripped of its 41.12% stake in KSPL.

KV Rao claimed that in May 2020, Vijayasai Reddy told him that Vikrant Reddy (son of ex-MP YV Subba Reddy) would reach out regarding the acquisition. The shares were later transferred to ARIPL. The FIR names Vijayasai Reddy, Vikrant Reddy, Sharath Chandra Reddy (Aurobindo Pharma), and auditing firm PKF Sridhar & Santhanam.

After his ED questioning, Vijayasai told reporters:

"I was asked about 25 questions based on KV Rao’s complaint. As a public representative, I often get requests to intervene in various matters. But regarding Kakinada Port, I clarified that I neither contacted KV Rao nor sent Vikrant Reddy to him."