Tadepalli, Oct 23: Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy today launched a scathing attack, questioning why Chandrababu Naidu is afraid of a CBI investigation into the sprawling spurious liquor mafia that has gripped Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing the media, YS Jagan said the spurious liquor network operating under the TDP government is not a small racket but a statewide, well-organized criminal syndicate controlled by TDP leaders, MLAs, and local mafia groups. “From manufacturing to distribution, every stage is being run by TDP’s own people. If a CBI investigation happens, the roots will directly lead to Chandrababu’s doorstep, that is why he fears it,” YS Jagan stated.
Citing massive seizures, YS Jagan revealed that in Molakalacheruvu, 20,208 bottles of spurious liquor were seized along with materials for 8,000 more. In Ibrahimpatnam, under the watch of a TDP-aligned Police Commissioner, 27,224 spurious bottles were found. Similar factories have been busted in Parawada (Anakapalli), Amalapuram, Palakollu, Eluru, Repalle, and Nellore. “Across the state, one in every four bottles sold is spurious — that’s how deep this mafia runs,” he said.
YS Jagan accused Chandrababu Naidu of turning Andhra Pradesh into a “liquor mafia state.” “These factories are operated by TDP’s own leaders. They make spurious liquor, sell it through their private shops, belt shops, and permit rooms, all under political protection. And when caught, they blame others and spin false stories using their yellow media,” he said.
The former CM slammed Chandrababu’s “diversion politics” and questioned his refusal to allow an independent probe. “If you are innocent, why fear the CBI? Why rely only on your SIT? Because the officers in SIT itself is part of the same mafia ring,” he said.
He questioned why the TDP government had not arrested its own candidate Jayachandra Reddy, who was directly linked to the Tamballapalle factory and had even declared distilleries in Africa in his affidavit. “When main accused Janardhan reddy returned from abroad, the yellow media itself announced he would surrender in two days. How did they know? Because they were all part of the plan,” YS Jagan asked.
He condemned the misuse of government systems like the IVRS call centre to circulate fake news and using yellow media they circulated fabricate videos doctored “chats” targeting YSRCP leaders such as Jogi Ramesh. “They manufacture crime, create false witnesses, and destroy reputations, that’s their pattern. The same old playbook of Chandrababu: commit the crime, blame others, and make the media repeat it until it sounds like truth,” he said.
Highlighting the difference in governance, YS Jagan reminded that under his tenure, the liquor system was fully government-controlled with QR codes ensuring traceability, belt shops abolished, and sales limited to official outlets. “Now, the same QR code system has been handed to the mafia itself — giving thieves the keys to the vault,” he said.
Concluding, YS Jagan said, “Chandrababu won’t handover the case to CBI, because a real investigation will expose how deep his party is in this mafia. The truth will show that the liquor mafia, the SIT, and the yellow media are all one syndicate, and Chandrababu is its kingpin.” He demanded a CBI probe into the spurious liquor scam. TDP’s SIT investigation is a cover-up, and only an independent inquiry can uncover the truth behind the spurious liquor mafia endangering lives and looting public wealth.
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