Mithun Reddy arrested in AP liquor scam case

In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the alleged Rs 3,200-crore Andhra Pradesh liquor scam, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP Peddireddy Mithun Reddy on Saturday. The Rajampet Lok Sabha MP, named Accused No. 4 (A4) in the case, was taken into custody after nearly seven hours of intense interrogation at the SIT office in Vijayawada.

The liquor scam, which allegedly occurred during the YSRCP government’s tenure from 2019 to 2024, involves accusations of liquor policy manipulation, kickbacks, money laundering, and financial irregularities estimated between Rs 3,200 to Rs 4,000 crore. Mithun Reddy, a key figure in the YSRCP and the party’s floor leader in the Lok Sabha, was questioned on his alleged involvement in policy manipulations, financial dealings with shell companies, and undisclosed meetings with key individuals linked to the scam.

The arrest follows the rejection of Reddy’s anticipatory bail pleas by both the Andhra Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court, with the latter dismissing his petition on Friday, July 18, 2025. The SIT, armed with a 300-page preliminary chargesheet supported by forensic lab reports and electronic evidence, moved swiftly to detain Reddy. The chargesheet was filed in the ACB court on Saturday, and officials have indicated that a more detailed chargesheet will be submitted within 20 days as the investigation progresses.

Mithun Reddy’s arrest marks the most high-profile detention in the case so far, following the arrests of other accused individuals, including Dhanunjay Reddy, Krishna Mohan Reddy, and Balaji Govindappa. The SIT has seized assets worth Rs 62 crore, examined 268 witnesses, and recorded statements from 11 individuals in connection with the scam.

YSRCP slams arrest as political vendetta

The YSRCP has strongly condemned the arrest, labeling it a politically motivated move by the ruling TDP-led NDA government under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Senior YSRCP leader Malladi Vishnu called the arrest part of a “larger vindictive conspiracy” targeting party leaders close to YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. “This is nothing but vendetta politics. We will bounce back and expose the failures and corruption of this coalition government,” Vishnu stated.