Former Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas seeks ED probe into MP Sivanath’s alleged money laundering in Andhra Pradesh liquor scam

It is alarming on Mr. Kesineni Sivanath’s part to seek a CBI probe into the liquor scam as it reflected his lack of confidence in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the State government, says Kesineni Srinivas

Former MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) wrote a letter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) requesting a probe into the alleged role of his younger brother and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath(Chinni) and his associates in money laundering linked to the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam. 

He stated that it was alarming on Mr. Sivanath’s part to seek a CBI probe into the liquor scam as it reflected his lack of confidence in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the State government. 

The position taken by Mr. Sivanath raises serious questions and warrants a deeper scrutiny as he was himself facing the allegation of having a role in financial transactions connected to the liquor scam through his business partner Kasireddy Rajasekhar, the former MP observed.

Mr. Srinivas said according to official records and data available in the public domain, Mr. Sivanath and his wife Janaki Lakshmi and Mr. Rajasekhar were partners in Pryde Infracon LLP among other ventures. 

These entities might have been used to channel the proceeds of the crime, in violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Further, there was a strong reason to believe that the money trail extended across multiple companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) both within India and abroad, involving family members, close friends, and some long-time business partners. 

In view of this, the ED should initiate an exhaustive investigation into the business dealings of the MP’s wife Janaki Lakshmi, son Venkat Chowdary Kesineni, Srinivas Satya Prasad Vellanki (Pandu), Madhu Babu Kandimalla, P.T. Suresh, Venigalla Ram, Chakravarthy Kadiyala, Vamsi Kadiyala, Kumar Adusumalli, Rajesh Ponnam, Mohan Rao Bollineni, Venkatakrishna Kishore Talluri and Nageswara Rao Gali. 

The probe should include all Indian and overseas companies, LLPs, and trusts associated with them, real estate, infrastructure and technology companies with possible links to them, all shell entities, benami holdings or circular transaction patterns related to them, and cross – border fund transfers, foreign assets and undisclosed overseas investments. 

Some of them are also allegedly linked to the ₹2,000 crore chain-link scam of Hyderabad which is under investigation, Mr. Srinivas added.