The major spurious liquor racket unearthed in Annamayya district has landed Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in an embarrassing position.
The racket, busted at Mulakalacheruvu in Thamballapalle constituency, exposed an organized network manufacturing and distributing fake liquor under popular brand names.
Acting swiftly to contain the political damage, TDP State President Palla Srinivasa Rao issued suspension orders to Thamballapalle ACI Jayachandra Reddy and local TDP leader Katta Surendra Naidu, following the chief minister’s directions.
The party clarified that it would not tolerate any act that endangers public health and announced a detailed internal inquiry to establish facts and take appropriate disciplinary action.
As the controversy kicked up a major political row, Naidu convened a high-level review meeting at his camp office in Undavalli on Sunday. During the briefing, officials detailed how the racket was unearthed.
Acting on information after detaining individuals found with spurious liquor bottles, Excise officials conducted raids at Kadirinathunithota village near Mulakalacheruvu, uncovering an illicit manufacturing unit.
Investigations revealed the involvement of 14 persons, of whom 10 have been arrested. Officials seized fake labels, liquor bottles, and manufacturing equipment from the premises.
The alleged mastermind, Addepalli Janardhan Rao, who holds a bar licence in Vijayawada, had reportedly shifted operations to Mulakalacheruvu to produce counterfeit liquor on a large scale.
According to officials, the liquor produced was supplied to Andhra Wines in PT Samudram and Rock Star Wines in Mulakalacheruvu. Both outlets were sealed after raids confirmed the sale of spurious liquor. The vehicle used for transporting the bottles belonged to T. Rajesh, the licensee of Rock Star Wines.
The racket’s operations spanned multiple states — with workers recruited from Tamil Nadu and Odisha — and functioned like a full-fledged factory.
Officials also confirmed that Janardhan Rao, the prime accused, is currently abroad. Meanwhile, the role of local TDP leader Jayachandra Reddy in facilitating or protecting the operation is being probed.
Naidu reportedly expressed serious concern over the racket, instructing the Excise Department to probe the case from all angles and take strict action irrespective of the accused’s political status.
Even as the government scrambled to control the fallout, the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) launched a fierce attack on the chief minister, accusing the ruling coalition of shielding those behind the racket.
YSRCP state general secretary S V Sathish Kumar Reddy alleged that such a large-scale operation could not have existed without “top-level protection.”
“The seizure of nearly 60,000 liquor bottles and the discovery of a fully functional manufacturing unit on the national highway proves this is a government-sponsored trade, not an isolated incident,” he said.
“When police trace villagers brewing country liquor in forests, how could a unit producing 30,000 bottles a day operate openly unless Excise officials and political leaders were involved?” he asked.
Sathish Kumar Reddy further claimed that TDP leader Surendra Naidu, arrested in connection with the racket, has been a loyal supporter of the party since 1983.
“He is only a front. The chief minister must explain who the real masterminds are and what protection they enjoyed,” he demanded.
The scandal has placed Naidu in an uncomfortable political situation. As the inquiry progresses, Naidu faces the dual challenge of ensuring accountability within his party and restoring public trust in law enforcement.
The unfolding scandal has already cast a shadow on his government’s image as a law-abiding and reform-driven administration.
