The SIT officials are preparing to arrest YSRCP MP P. Mithun Reddy, an accused in the liquor scam case (A4), after the Supreme Court refused to grant him anticipatory bail. A petition was filed in the Vijayawada court seeking a warrant. Since Mithun Reddy is a YCP MP, the SIT officials are moving forward as per the law to search and arrest his hideouts.
Meanwhile, as the High Court had earlier dismissed Mithun Reddy’s anticipatory bail petition in the liquor scam case, he approached the Supreme Court challenging the AP High Court’s dismissal of his anticipatory bail petition, and the Supreme Court, which heard his petition on Friday, dismissed his anticipatory bail petition.
A bench of Justice Mahadevan and Justice Parthiwala questioned the SIT’s lawyer about how the charge sheet was filed without arresting him? The bench asked the petitioner’s lawyer what reasons he had for seeking anticipatory bail? The Supreme Court also refused to give him time to surrender.
The SIT authorities have already issued a Lookout Circular (LOC) against Mithun Reddy in the liquor scam case. This LOC was issued to prevent him from fleeing abroad after the High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. Mithun Reddy, who had already realized that the anticipatory bail plea would be rejected, had already gone into hiding.
The SIT has formed teams to find out where he is currently hiding. This is the second time that Mithun Reddy has gone into hiding after the liquor scam case came to light. Mithun Reddy had approached the High Court in March for anticipatory bail after it was learned that his involvement in the scam had come to light during the SIT investigation.
Earlier, the High Court dismissed the petition as he was not yet an accused in the case. Fearing that he would be arrested, Mithun Reddy approached the Supreme Court while still in hiding. He came out after the Supreme Court gave an order granting him interim protection from arrest until the court hearing. Now he has gone into hiding again.
If Mithun Reddy’s whereabouts are known, the SIT officials are likely to arrest him immediately. The SIT investigation has found that Peddireddy Mithun Reddy was the mastermind in designing, arranging for the implementation of the robbery conspiracy carried out by the ‘YSRC gang’ under the guise of the new liquor policy during the Jagan government’s tenure, and directing the gang members from time to time.
The SIT concluded that Mithun Reddy played a key role in creating a hawala network with Raj Kasireddy to collect kickbacks from distilleries and supply companies, and in funneling the collected money to ‘Bigg Boss’.
