📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / sunil kumar karumuri
Crime
Former Andhra Pradesh Minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao Arrested in Liquor Scam
✍️ NDTV
🗓 23 Aug 2026, 09:38 PM
👁 2
Former Andhra minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao was taken into custody by state police over allegations of involvement in an illegal liquor racket.
State police in Andhra Pradesh have arrested former minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao on suspicion of participating in a large‑scale illegal liquor operation. The arrest follows a probe that linked the ex‑minister to the manufacturing and distribution of illicit alcohol, a sector that has been under heightened scrutiny after several incidents of spurious liquor causing public health concerns.
Investigators say the alleged scam involved the diversion of licensed liquor stocks and the sale of unregulated products, violating both state excise laws and national regulations. While the police have not disclosed the exact amount of contraband seized, they confirmed that Rao was remanded to judicial custody pending further inquiry.
The development adds a new dimension to ongoing political debates in the state, as Rao previously held a senior portfolio in the state cabinet. Opposition parties have called for a thorough investigation, urging the government to ensure that any misuse of public office is fully exposed.
Investigators say the alleged scam involved the diversion of licensed liquor stocks and the sale of unregulated products, violating both state excise laws and national regulations. While the police have not disclosed the exact amount of contraband seized, they confirmed that Rao was remanded to judicial custody pending further inquiry.
The development adds a new dimension to ongoing political debates in the state, as Rao previously held a senior portfolio in the state cabinet. Opposition parties have called for a thorough investigation, urging the government to ensure that any misuse of public office is fully exposed.