Published 21:00 IST, July 16th 2020
Who’s cash is it anyway? YSRCP, TDP spar over Rs 5.5 cr cash seized in Tamil Nadu
A political slug fest ensued on Thursday between the ruling YSRCP govt and the opposition TDP in Andhra Pradesh
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A political slugfest ensued on Thursday between the ruling YSRCP govt and the opposition TDP in Andhra Pradesh, a day after the neighboring Tamil Nadu police seized cash worth Rs 5.5 crore from a car that had a sticker bearing YSRCP minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy's name.
On Wednesday, the police seized the huge haul of cash in denominations of Rs 500 at Elavur check post in Arambakkam near Gummidipoondi on the Andhra-Tamil Nadu border. Three people were carrying the cash in the car with a Coimbatore registration number. The two passengers were identified as Vasanth and Lakshmi Narayanan, both from the Ongole district in Andhra Pradesh while the driver was identified as Nagarajan. They were unable to produce valid documents for carrying the huge amount and also did not produce a valid e-pass for inter-state travel. The car also had a sticker of AP energy minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy.
TDP launches a scathing attack
The TDP was quick to launch a scathing attack on the YSRCP govt. The party's national general secretary Nara Lokesh tweeted that it was understandable as to how far the YSRCP MLAs were yielding to exploitation in the state.
"CM Jagan found sand, land and wine in Tamil Nadu. Rs 5.27 crore in a car with a MLA sticker. Looking at the bundles of money moving to other states, it is understandable what range the exploitation of YSRCP MLAs are resorting to," Lokesh tweeted.
Former TDP MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao too slammed the YSRCP government for hiding facts with regard to the seizure. Rao demanded the Jagan Reddy regime dismiss the energy minister since his followers had already admitted to the Arambakkam police that the money they were carrying in the car belongs to Balineni Srinivasa Reddy.
“The AP government owes an explanation to the people as to why it was keeping silent on such a serious matter when the whole of Tamil Nadu and national media are giving reports on the AP minister's involvement in illegal transportation of cash. Once again, CM Jagan Reddy has brought disrepute to people of Andhra Pradesh in front of the whole country. A judicial inquiry should be launched to bring out facts,” said Rao.
Speaking in his defense, minister Balineni retorted, “It has been brought to my notice that last night, a car which had a sticker in my name was caught on the way to Chennai with crores of cash. I have nothing do with the vehicle, the people in it, or the money in the car. It has a TN registration. Have seen media reports which suggest that it is my car. Someone has misused a photocopy of the sticker. There is a need for the media also to investigate further. I request the investigating authorities to initiate a full-fledged probe into this and take strict action against those responsible.”
Meanwhile, I-T officials who seized the cash stated that they would return the cash if its owner produces valid. documents.
21:00 IST, July 16th 2020