After Chikkoti, ED now raids his aides’ houses in connection with FEMA violations

Hyderabad: After raiding the houses of casino organizer Chikkoti Praveen Kumar in Saidabad and his aide Madhava Reddy in Bowenpally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at four houses of Kumar’s aides including his relative Sampath in connection with Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations.

Apart from Sampath’s house, the ED, it is learnt, carried out raids at the house of Kumar’s close aide Babloo and two other persons. Crucial documents and smartphones of the four persons were seized during the raids.

Sources said Sampath was believed to be the key person for Kumar to look after cash transactions allegedly through hawala operators. His photographs captured with prominent politicians in the State went viral on social media after completion of raids at his house.

They said the details that were collected during Friday’s searches would help the ED in grilling Kumar after appearing before it on Monday morning. The ED officials have already seized the mobile phone and laptop after completing an 18-hour search operation at Kumar’s house in Saidabad.

A separate team of ED is thoroughly examining the WhatsApp chats in Kumar and Reddy’s mobile phone to get details of cash transactions and conversations with clients, mainly politicians from two Telugu States and film actresses from Telugu film industry. One more team has already gathered information about the persons who attended Kumar’s birthday party that was organized a few days ago in a function hall in Champapet.