In a significant development on Saturday, Andhra Pradesh police arrested YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Lok Sabha member PV Midhun Reddy in connection with the alleged ₹3,200-crore liquor scam that reportedly took place during the previous YSRCP government.
The arrest followed a lengthy interrogation session conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is currently probing the high-profile case. Midhun Reddy, who represents the Rajampet constituency, was taken into custody around 7:30 PM in Vijayawada.
Confirming the arrest, State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha told PTI over the phone, “Yes, he has been arrested. The process to produce him before the court is underway.”
Reddy had arrived in Vijayawada earlier in the day to appear for questioning, which comes on the heels of the recent arrests of other accused individuals in the same case — Dhanunjay Reddy, Krishna Mohan Reddy, and Balaji Govindappa.
The opposition YSRCP has strongly condemned the arrest, accusing the TDP-led government and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of pursuing a politically motivated agenda. The party labeled the action as part of a larger campaign of vendetta targeting key figures associated with YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“This is not justice, this is political persecution,” said senior YSRCP leader Malladi Vishnu in an official statement. “Midhun Reddy’s arrest is part of a vindictive conspiracy against those close to our party leadership. However, we will not be silenced. We will bounce back and expose the failures and corruption of the Naidu-led coalition government.”
Echoing similar sentiments, YSRCP leader L Appi Reddy expressed confidence in the judiciary. “Midhun Reddy belongs to a family with a strong and respected political legacy. His decision to cooperate with the investigation reflects his respect for the legal system and his determination to prove his innocence,” he stated in an interview with PTI Videos.
As the legal proceedings move forward, the arrest of a sitting MP has further intensified the political battle between the ruling TDP and the opposition YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh.
