Vijayawada: The Supreme Court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of YSR Congress MP, PV Midhun Reddy, in the multi-crore AP liquor scam case, saying the ongoing investigations were at a crucial stage.
Andhra Pradesh government’s senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi reminded the court that it had refused anticipatory bail in May last to two other co-accused — P Krishna Mohan and K Dhananjaya Reddy — who served as secretary and officer on special duty in the office of former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The court, he noted, had stated then that the investigation in the liquor scam case was at a critical juncture and grant of anticipatory bail to the accused could hamper the investigation.
Moreover, he said, “AP’s version in the case is that the accused persons who were public servants had conspired to throttle competitions, and the normal distribution channels of liquor were given only to some select groups. The case also went to the competition commission of India, but it was closed there.”
After hearing arguments from both the parties, the court dismissed the MP’s anticipatory bail plea. The petitioner’s counsel urged the court to give some time to his client to surrender. The court agreed to this plea.
Meanwhile, the state CID’s special investigation team filed a plea in the ACB court in the city seeking an arrest warrant against the MP.
