HYDERABAD: Enforcement Directorate on Friday issued notices to Tandur BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, the main complainant in the Poachgate case, asking him to submit financial documents and income tax returns by December 19.
ED Hyderabad unit served the notices under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency is verifying the links of Rohith Reddy and members of his family to a prominent gutka manufacturing group, which is already under ED scanner. Sources said Rohith Reddy's family members have also come under the ED radar now.
ED will also look at details of the Tandur MLA's financial transactions with businessmen since 2014. The MLA said ED did not serve him the notice regarding the Bengaluru drugs case probe.
ED serving the notice to Rohith Reddy, however, assumes significance in the wake of the ongoing SIT probe into the Poachgate case involving him and three other BRS MLAs. SIT is investigating the charges against top BJP leader BL Santhosh and others that they allegedly tried to lure the BRS MLAs into joining BJP by offering them a bribe of Rs 100 crore.
Rohith Reddy joins a list of BRS leaders who have come under the scrutiny of central investigation agencies like CBI, ED and I-T department of late.
Ministers Gangula Kamalakar and Ch Malla Reddy, MLC K Kavitha and RS member Vaddiraju Ravichandra were questioned by agencies recently. Rohith Reddy said notices do not relate to any crime, allegation or case. “I have been summoned to appear on December 19. ED asked me to produce my identity proofs, I-T returns, bank statements, family business details, income sources and family members’ income. I am consulting with my lawyers,” he said. “Neither my family members nor I have any connection with gutka business. There is no case against my family members and none of them has been served any notice. They (ED) asked me to submit details of my movable and immovable properties and bank loans from 2015,” he said. “I am in no way linked to the (Bengaluru) drugs scandal. I was never called by Karnataka police. It is a first-of-its-kind summons they didn’t mention what case they are calling me for,” he added.
Sudhakar Reddy Udumula is the Editor (Investigation) at the Times...
Read MoreSudhakar Reddy Udumula is the Editor (Investigation) at the Times of India, Hyderabad. Following the trail of migration and drought across the rustic landscape of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Sudhakar reported extensively on government apathy, divisive politics, systemic gender discrimination, agrarian crisis and the will to survive great odds. His curiosity for peeking behind the curtain triumphed over the criminal agenda of many scamsters in the highest political and corporate circles, making way for breaking stories such as Panama Papers Scam, Telgi Stamp Paper Scam, and many others. His versatility in reporting extended to red corridors of left-wing extremism where the lives of security forces and the locals in Maoist-affected areas were key points of investigation. His knack for detail provided crucial evidence of involvement from overseas in terrorist bombings in Hyderabad.
Read Less