The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court has sentenced Booneti Chanakya, also known as Prakash, to 14 days of judicial remand in connection with the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam case. Following the court order, Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials transferred Chanakya to Vijayawada District Jail.
SIT officials identified Chanakya as the eighth accused in the liquor scam case. He played a crucial role as Raj Kasireddy’s representative in managing the network created for collecting kickbacks from liquor supply companies and distilleries. Authorities took him into custody on Wednesday, and after medical examinations at Vijayawada Government Hospital, presented him before the ACB court.
Investigators discovered that Chanakya determined how much indent and orders should be given to specific liquor companies. He also handled the transfer of collected cash to Raj Kasireddy. The SIT found that Chanakya provided weekly financial reports to Kasireddy. Following Kasireddy’s instructions, Prakash had earlier fled to Dubai to escape investigation.
As the liquor case investigation intensified and SIT tightened its surveillance from all directions, Chanakya found no escape route and returned to India two days ago. SIT officials immediately took him into custody and questioned him about kickback collection methods and how the money reached Raj Kasireddy, extracting crucial information.
The SIT investigation revealed that Booneti Chanakya contacted distilleries and suppliers every fifth day. To avoid detection by investigating agencies, he used advanced communication methods including VPN, VOIP services, and virtual numbers. He also utilized international lines and apps like WhatsApp and Signal for his communications.
Chanakya would instruct suppliers about where to deliver the money and conducted weekly discussions about kickbacks related to sales. The SIT is investigating his involvement in converting payments from the Beverage Corporation into cash before sending them to the liquor syndicate. Officials discovered that the accused used various illegal methods to divert the attention of investigating agencies.
