TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu wrote an open letter to Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on March 1 (Friday), complaining that the A.P. State Directorate for Revenue Intelligence (APSDRI) was harassing his party leaders by registering false cases against them, and cited the arrest of former Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao’s son Sarath as proof of the “vindictive politics” practiced by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the run-up to the elections.
“The APSDRI, instead of fulfilling its official mandate, turned into a weapon in the YSR Congress Party’s (YSRCP) quiver,” Mr. Naidu stated, while pointing out that it (APSDRI) was headed by Special Commissioner Ch. Rajeswara Reddy, who “is a close associate of the ruling party.”
The former Chief Minister further said that the APSDRI had recently booked cases against Parchur MLA Yeluri Sambasiva Rao and former Minister P. Narayana. The latest one of the series of its actions was the arrest of Mr. Sarath.
Mr. Naidu noted that Mr. Sarath was an additional director for only 68 days in the firm in which he allegedly committed the GST fraud, for which a notice was duly served by the Directorate-General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Hyderabad, but the APSDRI took over the case that was under inquiry (by the DGGI).
He sought the Governor’s intervention in putting an end to such “illegal actions” so that democracy would be in safe hands.
‘Arrest politically motivated’
Meanwhile, Mr. Pulla Rao told the media persons that the arrest was politically motivated, and that it happened within 24 hours of the announcement of his candidature for Chilakaluripet Assembly constituency.
He alleged that Mr. Sarath was detained at undisclosed locations and moved between six police stations for about 16 hours before being produced in court at midnight.
