CBI summons Gangula Kamalakar in impersonation case

WARANGAL:  Civil supplies and BC welfare minister Gangula Kamalakar, whose residences and offices were recently raided by the Enforcement Directorate and Income-Tax in connection with his granite firm allegedly violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), has now been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for an impersonation case.

The CBI served notices on Kamalakar on Wednesday, summoning him to appear
before it on Thursday in New Delhi headquarters after he was found allegedly
associated with the fake IPS officer Kovvireddy Srinivas, who was arrested
for impersonation on November 28. When CBI officials arrived at Kamalakar’s
house on Wednesday morning, he was not available, so the officials spoke
with his family members and handed them the notice. The notices follow the
arrest of Srinivas, a native of Chinna Waltair in Visakhapatnam, on charges
of impersonating as an IPS officer from Tamil Nadu Bhawan in New Delhi and
defrauding people.  The accused allegedly accepted bribes to lobby public
servants for "favourable responses in a variety of matters, including cases
registered with various central investigative agencies," according to the
Central investigating agency.

The TRS minister is expected to be questioned about his alleged links with Srinivas Rao after photos of him with the impersonator during a Kapu Sammelana, a community meeting, surfaced and went viral on social media
platforms. At the community meeting, TRS MP Vadiraju Ravichandra, popularly
known as Gayatri Ravi, was also present. In light of this, CBI officials questioned Kamalakar's family members about why Srinivas met with him and what he discussed with the minister.

Meanwhile, in response to the CBI officials' notice, Kamalakar stated that Srinivas, who introduced himself as an IPS officer, met him three days ago at a get-together programme. Further, Kamalakar stated that when the CBI officials came to his house, he was on his way to Hyderabad, and that he will appear before the CBI in New Delhi.

The ED searched the residence and offices of granite companies allegedly owned by Kamalakar last month in connection with an alleged violation of the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Further, the ED and IT officials raided Gayatri Ravi's offices as part of a money laundering
investigation related to an alleged granite scam.