SC protects three accused in Rs 3,500 crore Andhra liquor case

The Supreme Court extended interim protection to three accused in the alleged Rs 3,500 crore Andhra Pradesh liquor scam but refused to interfere with the High Court order cancelling their default bail, asking them to seek regular bail from the trial court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended interim protection to three accused who were asked to surrender by the High Court in the alleged Rs 3,500 crore Andhra Pradesh liquor scam.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, however, refused to interfere with the Andhra Pradesh High Court order cancelling the default bail granted to the accused.

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The top court asked the accused to move the trial court for regular bail.

On November 19, the High Court had cancelled the default bail and directed them to surrender before the trial court on November 26 and apply for regular bail.

The top court had earlier issued notices to Andhra Pradesh and others on the pleas of Balaji Govindappa, Pellakuru Krishna Mohan Reddy and K Dhanunjaya Reddy and protected them from surrender till further orders.

Dhanunjaya Reddy is a retired IAS officer and was a secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office. Krishna Mohan Reddy was the OSD to then Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Balaji Govindappa was a director of Bharati Cements.

Senior advocates CA Sundaram, Siddharth Dave and Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the petitioners. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra represented the Andhra Pradesh government.

The prosecution alleged a political-business nexus, highlighting manipulation in liquor procurement between 2019 and 2024 during the previous YSRCP government, suppression of popular brands, preferential orders to new labels and systematic receipt of kickbacks.