ACB grills endowments official in DA case

Vijayawada: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has taken endowments department assistant Commissioner Kalingiri Shanti into custody for a two-day interrogation in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Currently lodged as a remand prisoner at the Vijayawada District Jail, she is being questioned over alleged illegal assets and suspected benami transactions.ACB officials began interrogation on the first day, during which Shanti was reportedly asked around 70 questions related to her financial dealings and assets accumulated during her tenure, particularly in Visakhapatnam. Investigators also focused on a land parcel in Yendada, seeking clarification on its ownership and funding.Sources indicated that Shanti claimed the property was gifted by her husband. However, officials noted that she was not fully cooperative during the initial round of questioning. The interrogation is being led by senior officers, including two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), with support from Circle Inspectors.Following the first day of custody, Shanti was taken to a govt hospital for routine medical examinations before being shifted back to the district jail. The questioning is set to continue for another day as part of the ongoing investigation.The ACB is examining financial records, asset declarations, and transaction trails to determine whether the assets held by the official are disproportionate to her known sources of income. Further developments are expected as the probe progresses.