Sathish Babu Sana was in CBI spotlight since 2013 Vanpic case linked to Jagan

Vijayawada / Kakinada / Hyderabad: Sathish Babu Sana, who is turning out to be the central figure in the fight between top bosses in the CBI, is an apparently well-connected Hyderabad-based businessman and runs a nightclub in the city. Sana has been in the CBI spotlight since 2013, in the Vanpic case aspect of the disproportionate assets cases of YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He has also been linked with meat exporter Moin Qureshi since then.

In his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary, CBI special director Rakesh Asthana has said that during an interrogation Sana had admitted to striking a settlement with CBI director Alok Verma reportedly through TD MP C.M. Ramesh, to give him relief in a money-laundering case booked against Qureshi.

Interestingly, the FIR filed by the CBI against Mr Asthana on October 15 states that he had received Rs 2 crore as an advance through a Dubai-based middleman to give relief to Sana in a money-laundering case against Qureshi.

In the Vanpic case, the CBI has claimed in its chargesheet in the Vanpic case that Sana was in touch with Qureshi over Blackberry Messenger. One of the messages was reportedly regarding the appointment of CBI official V.V. Lakshminarayana as joint director at Hyderabad.

Sana is accused of giving money to Qureshi to settle the Vanpic case. He reportedly paid Rs 50 lakh to Qureshi to settle the Vanpic case. He denied the allegation saying that the money was given to Qureshi as an investment in one of his businesses.

The Vanpic case refers to the alleged Rs 854 crore quid pro quo investments made by industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad into the companies of Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, and the allotment of 22,000 acres of land to Mr Prasad in violation of prevailing rules and regulations.

Vanpic or Vadarevu-Nizampatnam Industrial Corridor was an upcoming industrial park with two ports located between Guntur and Prakasam districts. Satish Sana is listed as director with Matrix Natural Resources Private Limited, Goldcoast Properties Private Limited, East Godavari Breweries Private Limited, all of which are active on e-filing, and Sras Marine Logistics Private Limited which is not on the e-fiing list. He is also a director in a limited liability partnership firm Rasama Estates.

Back in the day, Sana got a job on compassionate grounds in the electricity department at Kakinada when his father died. He subsequently joined the Andhra Cricket Association and is said to have struck up a friendship with V. Chamundeswarnath.

After Mr Gokaraju Gangaraju, the present MP of Narasapuram, took over as president of the ACA, Sana left cricketing affairs but is trying to make a comeback. Sana was said to have associated himself with late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, Congress MP Dr K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, actor-former MP Chiranjeevi and some industrialists.

He is said to have associations with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, actor Nagarjuna and political leaders mostly from, the Kapu and Kamma communities. He is said to be facing a financial crunch. Sana, who stays in Gachibowli, was reportedly associated with companies formerly owned by Mr Nimmagadda Prasad of the Vanpic group.

Mr V. Chamundeswaranath, vice-president of the Telangana Badminton Association, a director on the board of Goldcoast Properties Private Limited along with Sana, said, “I knew Satish from when he worked as general secretary in the East Godavari Cricket Association.”

He said Sana moved to Hyderabad around 10 years ago and stays with his family in Gachibowli.

“I am associated with Goldcoast Properties for eight years, however I don’t know much as we lost contact a long time ago.”