The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the multi-thousand-crore liquor scam that took place during the YSRCP government has added two more accused to the expanding case. Mumbai-based jewellers, Chetan Kumar Palgota (A-50) and Ronak Kumar Palgota (A-51) have been named as new suspects. The SIT filed a memo to this effect in the ACB Court in Vijayawada.
Mumbai Jewellers at the Center of the Money-Routing Network
According to the investigation, Palgota brothers played a crucial role in routing the bribe money paid by distilleries to influential individuals in the previous government. Distilleries that secured large supply orders allegedly deposited bribe amounts into accounts of shell companies under the guise of payment for various goods.
These shell companies then withdrew the cash, purchased gold, and passed the proceeds to political leaders and members of the liquor syndicate. SIT officials have identified Anil Chokhra (A-49), a Mumbai resident known for his money-laundering expertise, as the key link who executed the plan with the help of Chetan and Ronak.
Ronak Arrested at Gannavaram Airport
The SIT arrested Ronak Kumar on Tuesday evening at Gannavaram Airport as he attempted to leave for Mumbai without informing investigators. Both brothers had been issued notices for questioning. Chetan claimed illness and skipped the session, sending Ronak in his place. After questioning him on Monday and issuing another notice for Wednesday, the SIT discovered Ronak’s plan to flee and intercepted him at the airport.
Chetan Kumar remains absconding, and a search is underway.
A Web of Fake Invoices and International Links
The Palgota brothers operate from Mumbai under businesses such as Chamunda Bullion, Mahalakshmi Jewellery, and Ruchita Jewellery. The SIT found that they routinely created fake invoices and bogus waybills to convert black money into white and vice versa. The duo already faces multiple cases in other states.
Investigators have also uncovered financial connections between their father, Jasraj Palgota alias Poonambhai, and several individuals in Dubai. The SIT is now trying to determine who first contacted the Palgota brothers and which additional middlemen assisted them and Anil Chokhra in the money-routing network. With new evidence emerging, the SIT is preparing for more arrests and deeper scrutiny of financial trails that link distilleries, shell firms, gold purchases, and political beneficiaries.
