Hyderabad: The politician-red sanders smuggler nexus in Kadapa, Nellore and Chittoor districts is a big challenge for the police and the Special Task Force. Investigations by the police have revealed that red sanders smugglers not only funded local politicians in Kadapa and Chittoor districts during the general elections, but also their relatives who contested in the local body elections.
The smugglers have connections to all political parties, including the YSRC, the Telugu Desam and the Jai Samaikyandhra Party, according to the police. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said that the smugglers must be dealt with, with an iron hand irrespective of their political affiliation. Chittoor district collector K. Ramgopal then issued orders under the Preventive Detention Act against several notorious red sanders smugglers. Chittoor superintendent of police P.H.D. Ramakrishna said, “Most of the red sanders smugglers have political connections. Some are linked to the YSRC, some to the TD and some to the Jai Samaikyandhra Party. We are acting against them irrespective of political links.”
He said the police department is taking legal opinion for attaching the properties of smugglers. “Most of the properties are benami, so we are examining the issue,” he added. The collector of Chittoor issued orders against smugglers M. Reddy Narayana of Battalavandlapalle, Chappidi Mahesh Naidu of Chappidivandlapalle, Gangi Reddy of Kodur in Kadapa, Vijayanand Reddy of Chittoor, and Bhaskar Naidu of KV Palle in Chittoor, under the Prevention Detection Act.
One of the smugglers, Gangi Reddy, has fled to Dubai sensing trouble from the cops. He has claimed that both the TD and YSRC are involved in red sanders smuggling. Reddy Narayana had contested in the ZPTC election on a TD ticket. Mahesh Naidu is also a TD supporter. Gangi Reddy is a known YSRC supporter in Kodur Assembly constituency.
A senior police official said, “Reddy Narayana even tried for a TD Assembly ticket. The party denied him the ticket in view of his criminal background.” Reddy Narayana went to Kuwait in 1996 and was engaged in several illegal activities there including issuing of bogus certificates, for which he was imprisoned for 10 years. He was deported to India and was involved in the murder of the person in Kadapa who had tipped off the Kuwaiti police. Mr Ramakrishna said that under the PD Act, if the smugglers are detained, they will be in jail for a period of six months to one year.
