BRS leaders protest outside ED office, seek details of Minister Ponguleti case

BRS leaders staged a protest outside the ED office at Basheerbagh on Monday, seeking details of the investigation into searches conducted at premises linked to Telangana Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy in September 2024.

Hyderabad: BRS MLAs, MLCs and other leaders staged a protest outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office at Basheerbagh here on Monday, after the police stopped them outside and prevented them from entering the office. They demanded the ED authorities to release details of the investigation into the searches conducted at the premises linked to Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy in September 2024.

The BRS leaders went to the ED office to submit a representation to the officials, seeking release of the investigation details, two years after the raids were conducted on the Minister’s properties. After police obstructed them, BRS cadre staged a protest outside the office. Police later allowed the leaders to meet ED officials and submit the representation to Deputy Director Swathi.

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MLAs KP Vivekanand and K Sanjay Kumar, MLCs Shambipur Raju and Naveen Reddy, BRS leader Talasani Sai Kiran Yadav and BRSV State president Gellu Srinivas Yadav were among those who participated in the protest.

In its representation, the BRS sought details of the searches conducted on September 27 and 28, 2024, at around 16 locations linked to Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy. The party asked the ED to disclose the present status of the investigation and details of any cash, documents, digital devices, bank accounts and other material seized during the searches.

The BRS also sought clarity on whether the ED issued notices or summons, whether it filed a prosecution complaint, and the status of any seized property or other articles. The petition also sought updates on the investigations into the Narasapur Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme, Wattingapalli FIR, and Kotwalguda-Manasa Hills matters, on which the BRS had complained.

Speaking to the media later, the BRS legislators demanded that the ED provide the information within 15 days and, if the investigation was still continuing, indicate a timeframe for further action. With the cutout of the Minister sitting on a throne of currency bundles, the BRS workers continued their protest and raised slogans against Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy outside the ED office after the leaders submitted their representation.

Earlier, BRS working president KT Rama Rao questioned the alleged silence of central agencies on the case. “Exactly two years since the Congress-BJP unholy nexus became official in Telangana,” he posted on X, questioning why a Congress Minister was allegedly enjoying immunity.