Police invoke PD Act against ‘local Veerappan’ Srinu

HYDERABAD: Ramagundam police on Wednesday invoked the Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Forest Offenders Act against Yeddla Srinu, known as Telangana Veerappan, and two of his associates. Police said that the accused had funded local politicians with money which were proceeds of crime.
Srinu, who was arrested recently by the police, was accused of being involved in teak wood smuggling and tree felling for the past two decades in Telangana Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chattisgarh.
Ramagundam Commissioner of Police V Satyanarayana said, “The chief minister has given us a directive to take stringent action despite the accused having political clout including with the TRS. We have invoked the PD Act against Srinu and his associates K Kishan Kumar and K Madhukar to stop timber smuggling.”
Police alleged that the accused colluded with sawmill owners in the two Telugu States and used to supply forest teak wood. Eight cases were registered against Srinu in Manthani and Kotapalli police stations. Four more cases were registered by the forest department in Manthani range.
“The accused Srinu used to evade the law by abusing court processes, with the help of political support, by bribing police and forest officials and implicating his associates in the crime. He filed writ petition and special leave petition in courts to get orders against the PD act being invoked against him. Despite all the tactics from the accused, we have arrested him and invoked the PD act,” said Satyanarayana.
“With his illegal crime proceeds, he campaigned for elections and influenced voters and the public in villages. He and his associates provided financial support to certain political parties and he was also instrumental in deciding the fate of elections in local bodies. Sawmill owners who were hand in glove with Yeddla Srinu from Godavarikhani, Manthani, Yerragondapalem, Parchur, Chilakaluripet areas have been identified and will be arrested shortly.”