Lok Satta Party today made public the corruption in the A industries department of Andhra Pradesh with evidence and urged the state government to refer the charges to CBI for wider and deeper investigation.
A delegation of the called chief secretary SP Tucker and presented a memorandum to this effect. The Lok Satta delegation alleged that crores of rupees meant of concessions and subsidies had been diverted to the bogus bank accounts. Another serious charge is that the government remitted money to Brandix Apparel of Vizag. It clearly established the charge that state government had colluded with Brandix company and it never took into cognizance of the allegation of the employees that they were underpaid and poor working conditions.
Recently, Karthikeya Mishra, commissioner, Industries has gone on leave. Mishra, a junior most IAS officer, has been promoted by chief minister Naidu. He played key role in all the industry related MoU and foreign tour etc. Lok Satta party alleges that he is involved in the irregularities committed in disbursement of benefits to bogus companies and to those who recommended by the power that be. C Ramireddy, joint director and Gopala jaidu, Assistant director have been suspended for their involvement, they said.
According to Lok Satta these officials enjoyed the protection from IAS officers, including Karthikeya Mishra. The memorandum of Lok Satta also exposed the corruption in the disbursement of Hudhud relief to the industries affected during the cyclonic storm. In the name of providing compensation, Brandix had been given Rs 1.30 crore in two installments. Similarly many companies, which are in the good books of these IAS officers got liberal compensation following the Hudhud. Even though Lok Satta had placed documentary evidence before the senior officials, no action had been taken against these official, the party alleged.
Stating that Ramireddy was the kingpin of the multi-crore scam, the party brought to the notice of chief secretary Tucker how Ramireddy had been surrendered to the government from Ranga Reddy district DIC by the then Collector Dana Kishore. Even though Ramireddy antecedents were well known, Karthikeya Mishra entrusted him with the responsibility of recommending concessions to industries. He was also made Vigilance officer.
The Lok Satta said the party would furnish the documentary evidence for all the charges it made in case the government institutes an inquiry into the corruption in industries department especially in the distribution of compensation to the Hudhud “victims” and the bogus bank accounts into which the money had been transferred.
The Lok Satta also sought an inquiry into role played former Industries secretary SS Rawat in corrupt practices in the department.
