The main opposition Telugu Desam found itself in a fix on Thursday after the Telugu Yuvata state secretary, Mr P. Hari Babu’s father, Mr P. Ramakrishnaiah Naidu. and four friends were caught with unaccounted cash worth Rs 7 crore in their cars.
Adding to the party’s acute discomfiture, the Kadiri police who intercepted the two vehicles also found in them number plates (AP09AG393 and AP03AG0099) of cars that belonged to the convoy of the TD chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Congress leaders immediately alleged that the TD president had transported black money for local bodies’ elections, but Mr Hari Babu claimed that the cash belonged to his business friends Prakash and Basavaraju of Karnataka and was meant to purchase tipper lorries.
He also came up with the strange explanation that Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s number plates “probably” fell on the road and he had picked them up. “As a TD worker, I collected them and kept it in my vehicles,” he said. “If I use them, it is a crime. But, I didn’t.”
Soon after the seizure, the Income Tax department conducted flash raids at the posh houses of Mr Hari Babu in Nalanda Nagar and Vidyanagar of Tirupati and reportedly seized incriminating evidence.
Mr Ramakrishnaiah and four friends were travelling in two vehicles from Hospet to Tirupati when they were stopped by the Kadiri police on Wednesday evening for a routine vehicle check. The cops were stunned to see cash worth Rs 7 crore cash in 13 gunny bags and immediately arrested Mr Ramakrishnaiah, a company accountant, Mr Jangam Ramu, Mr Sompalli Venkataramana, Mr Bollepalli Venkatesh and Mr A. Ramesh.
On being questioned, the TD leader’s father told the police that the money had been withdrawn by Mr Hari Babu’s friends from the SBI Hospet branch in Karnataka and was being taken for routine business transactions to two iron ore agencies, Venkateshwara Logistics and Sairam Associates, floated by his son in Tirupati. But police registered a case under sections 41 (A) and 102 CrPC besides section 132 of the Income Tax act. The arrested were presented before senior civil judge in Kadiri and granted bail.
“We have the right to seize cash from any person who carries more than Rs 10 lakh,” said the district superintendent of police, Mr Maneeshkumar Sinha. The Telugu Yuvata leader, meanwhile, rubbished allegations that the cash belonged to Mr Chandrababu Naidu. “I had only arranged the transport for my friends when they required AP-registration vehicles,” he said. “My friends are into mining export business at Bellary and the cash was meant for purchase of tippers. We submitted proof to the SP of Anantapur.”
A senior TD leader clarified that Mr Hari Babu purchased a Safari vehicle for Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s convoy when he took out his ‘Mee Kosam Yatra’ at Chandragiri fort town last year. The same number is given to four or five vehicles in a convoy for security reasons.
“This way, Mr Naidu’s convoy number was put on the vehicle,” he said. “After the yatra, the vehicle was sent back to Tirupati. Though Mr Hari Babu replaced Mr Naidu’s number plate with his own, he kept the old number plate inside just to show how close he was to the party chief.”
Meanwhile, the minister for rural development, Mr Vatti Vasanth Kumar, demanded a CBCID prone into the cash seizure and the Youth Congress leader, Mr K. Nagendra Kumar, alleged that the cash was ‘black money’ of the TD chief.
But the TD said neither the party nor his president had any connection with the cash seizure. “Some vested interests are spreading canards,” said the party spokesman, Mr Varla Ramaiah.
Showing posts with label TD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TD. Show all posts
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
TD MLA’s husband held
The Medak police on Monday busted an arms smuggling racket involving the Telugu Desam legislator, Ms Seethakka’s husband, N. Devender. Both are former naxalites.
Devender and two others were arrested for smuggling Rs 12 lakh worth of firearms, including an AK-56 rifle, and ammunition from Bihar to the Praja Pratighatana, a splinter naxal group led by one Mohanna.
Two arms smugglers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh who were arrested along with Devender confessed to police that they had supplied arms and ammunition to Maoists earlier.
The Medak superintendent of police, Mr V.C. Sajjanar, said a special team is being sent to Bihar to trace the origin of the weapons.
Around 3 am, a police team led by the sub-inspector, Mr Indrakaran, was checking vehicles at Zulkal crossroads in Sangareddy town of Medak district, about 50 km from here.
Around 4.30 am, the police stopped a white vehicle with Delhi registration traveling towards Hyderabad. Upon searching it, the police found arms in the vehicle and registered a case under the Arms Act.
Police seized Rs 27,000 cash, an AK-56 rifle, and a Springfield rifle, country pistols, 676 rounds of ammunition for AK-47 rifles and 9mm pistols,
Asked about the gun-running, Ms Seethakka said. “I won’t encourage this. With trust in democracy I participated in the elections and won. I am working with the people. I don’t know what he is doing.”
“If the law-enforcing agencies feel that I am involved I am ready for questioning. I have nothing to do with this,” she said.
Devender, 49, of Hanamakonda in Warangal district, was an underground naxal activist. He joined the CPI-ML (Chandra Pulla Reddy group) in 1979 and later worked for the Janashakti, another splinter naxal organisation. The Janashakti is largely defunct now.
He was arrested by Siricilla police in 1981 but was released later. He went underground and surfaced after 17 years in early 2009.
“Recently Mohanna of Praja Pratigatana contacted Devender for weapons. He made a deal for Rs 12 lakh and went to Khanpur in Uttar Pradesh to meet his old friend Sunil Kumar. They procured arms from Munger in Bihar and were caught while returning to Hyderabad,” said Mr Sajjanar.
Of the two persons arrested along with Devender, Sunil Kumar, 48, is a native of Khanpur and Ajay Kumar, 45, is from Moinbagh in Bihar. Sunil Kumar was working with an arms dealer, Guru Prasad, and was involved in the trade of illegal arms and ammunitions.
Police said Devender got in touch with Sunil Kumar through one Suryam. He purchased the weapons on April 15 at Unnao of Uttar Pradesh, which were packed and concealed in the vehicle that was subsequently stopped at the checkpost at Sangareddy.
Ajay Kumar confessed that he was working as a driver with Sunil Kumar and that they had supplied illegal arms to various persons including Maoists. In 2009 they were arrested by Nalanda police of Bihar and sent to jail.
Devender and two others were arrested for smuggling Rs 12 lakh worth of firearms, including an AK-56 rifle, and ammunition from Bihar to the Praja Pratighatana, a splinter naxal group led by one Mohanna.
Two arms smugglers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh who were arrested along with Devender confessed to police that they had supplied arms and ammunition to Maoists earlier.
The Medak superintendent of police, Mr V.C. Sajjanar, said a special team is being sent to Bihar to trace the origin of the weapons.
Around 3 am, a police team led by the sub-inspector, Mr Indrakaran, was checking vehicles at Zulkal crossroads in Sangareddy town of Medak district, about 50 km from here.
Around 4.30 am, the police stopped a white vehicle with Delhi registration traveling towards Hyderabad. Upon searching it, the police found arms in the vehicle and registered a case under the Arms Act.
Police seized Rs 27,000 cash, an AK-56 rifle, and a Springfield rifle, country pistols, 676 rounds of ammunition for AK-47 rifles and 9mm pistols,
Asked about the gun-running, Ms Seethakka said. “I won’t encourage this. With trust in democracy I participated in the elections and won. I am working with the people. I don’t know what he is doing.”
“If the law-enforcing agencies feel that I am involved I am ready for questioning. I have nothing to do with this,” she said.
Devender, 49, of Hanamakonda in Warangal district, was an underground naxal activist. He joined the CPI-ML (Chandra Pulla Reddy group) in 1979 and later worked for the Janashakti, another splinter naxal organisation. The Janashakti is largely defunct now.
He was arrested by Siricilla police in 1981 but was released later. He went underground and surfaced after 17 years in early 2009.
“Recently Mohanna of Praja Pratigatana contacted Devender for weapons. He made a deal for Rs 12 lakh and went to Khanpur in Uttar Pradesh to meet his old friend Sunil Kumar. They procured arms from Munger in Bihar and were caught while returning to Hyderabad,” said Mr Sajjanar.
Of the two persons arrested along with Devender, Sunil Kumar, 48, is a native of Khanpur and Ajay Kumar, 45, is from Moinbagh in Bihar. Sunil Kumar was working with an arms dealer, Guru Prasad, and was involved in the trade of illegal arms and ammunitions.
Police said Devender got in touch with Sunil Kumar through one Suryam. He purchased the weapons on April 15 at Unnao of Uttar Pradesh, which were packed and concealed in the vehicle that was subsequently stopped at the checkpost at Sangareddy.
Ajay Kumar confessed that he was working as a driver with Sunil Kumar and that they had supplied illegal arms to various persons including Maoists. In 2009 they were arrested by Nalanda police of Bihar and sent to jail.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
TD sets stage to wipe out PR
The Telugu Desam is wooing leaders from Chiru’s Telangana Prajarajyam into its fold. According to sources, the Telugu Desam supremo, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, has asked senior party leaders and others to woo Prajarajyam leaders and activists besides ex-TD leaders who left the party for various reasons and joined other parties.
Mr Naidu has also openly invited former Telugu Desam leaders to return to the party fold to strengthen the party. The TD president has been targeting Prajarajyam since his party failed to return to power in the 2009 polls. There is a feeling in Telugu Desam that the party lost the elections only due to Prajarajyam which cut into its votes and helped Congress in the process.
Since then Mr Naidu has been attacking the Prajarajyam president, Mr Chiranjeevi. Further, rumours make round in the political circles now and then that Mr Chirnajeevi would wind up his party and join the Congress.
Mr Chiranjeevi, during his tour of Tirupati recently, alleged that attempts were being made by some parties to weaken PR by luring party leaders. He also denied rumours about his party merging with the Congress.
It is learnt that a senior TD leader and former minister is reportedly pursuing Ch Sunil, a PR leader who contested the Kakinada Lok Sabha seat and lost.
Similarly, other Prajarajyam leaders who contested the Assembly and the Lok Sabha are also being lured into the party, it is learnt.
“It is true that Telugu Desam is targeting Prajarajyam and trying to lure party leaders so as to weaken it. Telugu Desam is giving wide publicity to even an inconsequential local PRP activist joining Telugu Desam,’’ Mr Kanna Babu, PRP MLA, told this correspondent.
He was referring to a group of party activists from Jaggampet constituency in East Godavari district who joined the party in the presence of Mr Babu the other day. The PRP leaders included the former Zilla Grandhalaya samastha chairman, Mr S.V.S. Appalaraju.
Mr Naidu has also openly invited former Telugu Desam leaders to return to the party fold to strengthen the party. The TD president has been targeting Prajarajyam since his party failed to return to power in the 2009 polls. There is a feeling in Telugu Desam that the party lost the elections only due to Prajarajyam which cut into its votes and helped Congress in the process.
Since then Mr Naidu has been attacking the Prajarajyam president, Mr Chiranjeevi. Further, rumours make round in the political circles now and then that Mr Chirnajeevi would wind up his party and join the Congress.
Mr Chiranjeevi, during his tour of Tirupati recently, alleged that attempts were being made by some parties to weaken PR by luring party leaders. He also denied rumours about his party merging with the Congress.
It is learnt that a senior TD leader and former minister is reportedly pursuing Ch Sunil, a PR leader who contested the Kakinada Lok Sabha seat and lost.
Similarly, other Prajarajyam leaders who contested the Assembly and the Lok Sabha are also being lured into the party, it is learnt.
“It is true that Telugu Desam is targeting Prajarajyam and trying to lure party leaders so as to weaken it. Telugu Desam is giving wide publicity to even an inconsequential local PRP activist joining Telugu Desam,’’ Mr Kanna Babu, PRP MLA, told this correspondent.
He was referring to a group of party activists from Jaggampet constituency in East Godavari district who joined the party in the presence of Mr Babu the other day. The PRP leaders included the former Zilla Grandhalaya samastha chairman, Mr S.V.S. Appalaraju.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
TRS, CPI submit T-petitions
The Telugu Desam MP, Mr M.V. Mysoora Reddy, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the Communist Party of India submitted their reports and opinion on formation of Telangana state to the Justice Sri Krishna committee in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Mr Mysoora Reddy, in his hundred-page report submitted to the committee, opined that the demand for separate Telangana is being brought up only by politically unemployed and that the people of the region are not seeking separation from the rest of Andhra Pradesh. Mr Reddy also submitted a CD with comprehensive information on the sectors in which Telangana region is developed than Andhra and Rayalaseema.
In his report, Mr Reddy informed the committee that until 2008, 64 per cent of Telangana region got irrigation water contrary to 28 per cent of Rayalaseema region. He reminded the committee that Telangana region has 338 engineering colleges compared to 240 in Andhra and 95 in Rayalaseema region.
“By the end of eleventh five-year plan, Telangana would have 8,038 Mega watt power compared to 3,736 Mega watt power generated in Andhra and 2,709 Mega watt power in Rayalaseema region,” Mr Reddy observed.
Meanwhile, the TRS also submitted its report and opinion to the committee. TRS asked the committee to take legal action against Congress leaders who claim that the committee would submit its recommendations against the formation of a separate state. TRS, in its detailed report on Telangana, brought to the notice of the committee the backwardness of districts like Mahabubnagar, fluoride water affecting people in Nalgonda, poor irrigation facilities, unemployment and lack of adequate educational institutions in the region.
“There is already a divide among the people in the state and it can’t be bridged now. Rulers from Andhra and Rayalaseema have not given due share to Telangana in all fronts which is why separate state is imperative,” the party claimed in its report.
The CPI state secretary, Mr K. Narayana, too submitted the party’s report to the committee demanding the formation of a separate state. The party listed out the injustices meted out to the region for the past six decades and expressed its support to the division of Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Mysoora Reddy, in his hundred-page report submitted to the committee, opined that the demand for separate Telangana is being brought up only by politically unemployed and that the people of the region are not seeking separation from the rest of Andhra Pradesh. Mr Reddy also submitted a CD with comprehensive information on the sectors in which Telangana region is developed than Andhra and Rayalaseema.
In his report, Mr Reddy informed the committee that until 2008, 64 per cent of Telangana region got irrigation water contrary to 28 per cent of Rayalaseema region. He reminded the committee that Telangana region has 338 engineering colleges compared to 240 in Andhra and 95 in Rayalaseema region.
“By the end of eleventh five-year plan, Telangana would have 8,038 Mega watt power compared to 3,736 Mega watt power generated in Andhra and 2,709 Mega watt power in Rayalaseema region,” Mr Reddy observed.
Meanwhile, the TRS also submitted its report and opinion to the committee. TRS asked the committee to take legal action against Congress leaders who claim that the committee would submit its recommendations against the formation of a separate state. TRS, in its detailed report on Telangana, brought to the notice of the committee the backwardness of districts like Mahabubnagar, fluoride water affecting people in Nalgonda, poor irrigation facilities, unemployment and lack of adequate educational institutions in the region.
“There is already a divide among the people in the state and it can’t be bridged now. Rulers from Andhra and Rayalaseema have not given due share to Telangana in all fronts which is why separate state is imperative,” the party claimed in its report.
The CPI state secretary, Mr K. Narayana, too submitted the party’s report to the committee demanding the formation of a separate state. The party listed out the injustices meted out to the region for the past six decades and expressed its support to the division of Andhra Pradesh.
Monday, March 29, 2010
TD seeks BC data in Census
The Telugu Desam on Sunday, demanded a separate column in the Census form to secure caste details of the people. The TD observed that this would facilitate details about Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in the population.
The party politburo which met here after four months decided to press for a sub-quota within women reservations for BCs and minorities. The party chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, will write a letter to the UPA government pressing for an amendment to the Act.
“We demand an amendment to the Act. Only after amendment can the Bill be introduced in the Lok Sabha,” said Mr K. Yerran Naidu, senior party leader.
Fearing a clash between Telangana and Coastal Andhra region leaders, the politburo meeting was not held in the last four months. The TD used to convene the politburo meeting every fortnight to discuss matters of importance. But with the Telangana issue coming to the fore, the TD leadership chose not to convene a meeting. Interestingly, the poliburo did not discuss about Telangana.
Leaders from both the regions met after four months and discussed the party’s future course of action in the wake of severe criticism from other parties that the TD failed to perform its role as the main Opposition party.
The Adilabad MP, Mr Ramesh Rathod, has been nominated as head of the committee which will oversee the membership drive in the party that will start from April 1.
The party politburo which met here after four months decided to press for a sub-quota within women reservations for BCs and minorities. The party chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, will write a letter to the UPA government pressing for an amendment to the Act.
“We demand an amendment to the Act. Only after amendment can the Bill be introduced in the Lok Sabha,” said Mr K. Yerran Naidu, senior party leader.
Fearing a clash between Telangana and Coastal Andhra region leaders, the politburo meeting was not held in the last four months. The TD used to convene the politburo meeting every fortnight to discuss matters of importance. But with the Telangana issue coming to the fore, the TD leadership chose not to convene a meeting. Interestingly, the poliburo did not discuss about Telangana.
Leaders from both the regions met after four months and discussed the party’s future course of action in the wake of severe criticism from other parties that the TD failed to perform its role as the main Opposition party.
The Adilabad MP, Mr Ramesh Rathod, has been nominated as head of the committee which will oversee the membership drive in the party that will start from April 1.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Opposition protests with lanterns
Legislators from opposition parties came to the Andhra Pradesh assembly on Tuesday with lanterns to protest against a severe electricity shortage in the state.
Led by former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, legislators of the Telugu Desam party (TD), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) staged the protest with lanterns and dummy transformers at Gun Park opposite the assembly building.
They later marched to the assembly and raised the issue in the house. The Praja Rajyam party (PR) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged similar protests.
Speaker N. Kirankumar Reddy, however, rejected their adjournment motions on the issue, triggering an uproar. The speaker had to adjourn the house and call a meeting of all floor leaders to find a way out.
Earlier, Naidu termed the electricity situation as serious. He alleged that farmers, the domestic sector and students were badly affected by the scheduled and unscheduled electricity cuts.
PRP led by its president K. Chiranjeevi staged a demonstration at Vidyut Soudha, the headquarters of AP Transco (Andhra Pradesh transmission corporation) in Somajiguda.
The state is in the grip of a severe electricity crisis due to the increased demand in summer and the ongoing rabi crop season. AP Transco has imposed two-to-six hour scheduled cuts across the state.
Authorities have imposed two-hour cuts every day in the state capital and major cities, five hours in towns and six hours in villages. However, people are complaining of unscheduled cuts for longer durations.
The state has declared a one day weekly power holiday for industries and is planning to increase it to two days.
Experts say the situation could turn worse as it was only the beginning of summer. The peak demand is 250 million units (MU) every day while there is a shortage of 25 MU.
Led by former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, legislators of the Telugu Desam party (TD), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) staged the protest with lanterns and dummy transformers at Gun Park opposite the assembly building.
They later marched to the assembly and raised the issue in the house. The Praja Rajyam party (PR) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged similar protests.
Speaker N. Kirankumar Reddy, however, rejected their adjournment motions on the issue, triggering an uproar. The speaker had to adjourn the house and call a meeting of all floor leaders to find a way out.
Earlier, Naidu termed the electricity situation as serious. He alleged that farmers, the domestic sector and students were badly affected by the scheduled and unscheduled electricity cuts.
PRP led by its president K. Chiranjeevi staged a demonstration at Vidyut Soudha, the headquarters of AP Transco (Andhra Pradesh transmission corporation) in Somajiguda.
The state is in the grip of a severe electricity crisis due to the increased demand in summer and the ongoing rabi crop season. AP Transco has imposed two-to-six hour scheduled cuts across the state.
Authorities have imposed two-hour cuts every day in the state capital and major cities, five hours in towns and six hours in villages. However, people are complaining of unscheduled cuts for longer durations.
The state has declared a one day weekly power holiday for industries and is planning to increase it to two days.
Experts say the situation could turn worse as it was only the beginning of summer. The peak demand is 250 million units (MU) every day while there is a shortage of 25 MU.
TD MLAs not to quit T-JAC now
The Telugu Desam leaders who had threatened to quit the Telangana Joint Action Committee (T-JAC), have postponed their decision.
“We haven’t decided on withdrawing from the T-JAC as of now. We will discuss the issue in the party forum and take a decision soon. The party will not tolerate criticism of its party leader, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu,” said Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, TD deputy floor leader. The TD leaders are planning to make Mr Naidu as the national president of the party if Telangana is carved out. Meanwhile, the TD MLA, Mr Suman Rathod, distributed sweets to MLAs from all political parties on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The TD MLA, Mr Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, alleged that there was a “match-fixing” over the Telangana issue.
“We haven’t decided on withdrawing from the T-JAC as of now. We will discuss the issue in the party forum and take a decision soon. The party will not tolerate criticism of its party leader, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu,” said Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, TD deputy floor leader. The TD leaders are planning to make Mr Naidu as the national president of the party if Telangana is carved out. Meanwhile, the TD MLA, Mr Suman Rathod, distributed sweets to MLAs from all political parties on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The TD MLA, Mr Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, alleged that there was a “match-fixing” over the Telangana issue.
