Delhi liquor scam accused Magunta Raghava Reddy likely to contest LS polls from Ongole constituency on TDP ticket

Ongole: Delhi liquor scam accused Magunta Raghava Reddy is likely to contest the Lok Sabha poll on a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket from the Ongole constituency.

He is accused of being part of the South Group that allegedly offered a Rs 100 crore bribe in the Delhi liquor policy scam.

Raghava Reddy is the son of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy. Raghava Reddy owned liquor manufacturing units under the name of Enrica Enterprises Pvt Ltd located in Chennai. However, Srinivasulu Reddy on Wednesday announced his resignation from the YSRCP, citing a perceived lack of respect within its ranks.

Srinivasulu Reddy is the fifth MP to quit the YSRCP after Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayulu (Narasaraopeta), Vallabhaneni Balashowry- (Machilipatnam), Kanumuru Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju-(Narasapuram) and Sanjeev Kumar (Kurnool) ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The YSRCP leadership is fielding Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy as an MP from Ongole in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and appointed him as an incharge for the constituency.

"My son Magunta Raghava Reddy will contest in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. I don't have an ego, but self-respect. I thank Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for extending support to me and my family for the last five years. I will disclose my future course of action shortly,” Srinivasulu Reddy told the media.

For many years, the Magunta family has been in the liquor business. They have served as the Karnataka-based UB Group's distributors in South India. In September 2022, the ED carried out searches at Srinivasulu Reddy’s office in connection with its probe into the Delhi liquor policy scam.

On February 10, 2023, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Magunta Raghava Reddy for alleged irregularities in the Delhi liquor policy scam under section three of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) punishable under section four of the PMLA.

A Delhi court shifted Magunta Raghava Reddy to Tihar jail for 14 days of judicial custody till March 14, 2023. The ED also asked Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy to appear before it on March 18 in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam.

On April 6, 2023, the ED filed a charge sheet against Magunta Raghava Reddy, former SAD MLA Deep Malhotra’s son Gautam Malhotra and Rajesh Joshi, head of an advertising firm, and five firms in the Delhi liquor policy scam.

On June 7, 2023, the Delhi High Court vacation bench on Wednesday granted a 15-day conditional bail to Magunta Raghava Reddy to attend to his ailing wife. The court considered his plea after verifying her medical records. On June 8, 2023, the ED moved the Supreme Court challenging the interim bail granted to Magunta Raghava Reddy by the Delhi High Court in the Delhi liquor policy scam.

On June 9, 2023, the Supreme Court modified the order of the Delhi High Court to reduce the interim bail for Magunta Raghava Reddy from 15 days to five days. The Supreme Court also directed Raghava Reddy to surrender before the local court on June 12, 2023. On July 18, 2023, the Delhi High Court granted four-week bail to Magunta Raghava Reddy. However, the ED did not oppose granting bail to the accused in the liquor scam this time.

In October 2023, Raghava Reddy and Aurobindo Pharma director P Sarat Chandra Reddy also turned approvers in the Delhi liquor policy scam. On February 1, 2024, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court granted anticipatory (pre-arrest) bail to Magunta Raghava Reddy in the Delhi liquor policy scam. The court also pardoned him in the case while allowing his plea to be approved.