Liquor scam: Avinash Reddy surrenders, sent to judicial custody

Vijayawada: In a major development in the sensational liquor scam case, Muppidi Avinash Reddy surrendered before authorities after the Supreme Court declined to grant him relief and directed him to submit to the investigation. Soon after his surrender, the ACB court remanded him to judicial custody until tomorrow.According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) remand report, Avinash Reddy played a pivotal role in the alleged financial irregularities linked to the liquor scam. Investigators stated that he, along with A1 Kesireddy Rajasekhar Reddy, was central to orchestrating the operations that led to massive revenue losses to the state.
The SIT alleged that Avinash Reddy supervised key meetings with govt officials and monitored the quantity of liquor orders placed through the Andhra Pradesh Beverages Corporation Limited (APBCL). He is accused of acting as a de facto officer in running APBCL affairs and influencing critical decisions, including the discontinuation of established liquor brands and the introduction of new ones.Investigators further claimed that after liquor orders were finalised, bribes were collected in the form of commissions from distillery companies. The remand report also names Aadhan Distelaries (A25), which allegedly generated fake bills worth ₹21 crore under the guise of liquor supply orders. The accused are said to have created shell companies to divert funds and fabricated waybills, transport bills and invoices to legitimise the transactions.The SIT also revealed that frequent meetings were held in Jubilee Hills to plan the financial operations. Avinash Reddy reportedly fled to Thailand after a liquor smuggling case surfaced, evading investigators for a period.