The Andhra Pradesh High Court has delivered contrasting verdicts on bail petitions filed in the high-profile liquor scam case. While bail was granted to YSRCP leader Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, along with his close associate Venkatesh Naidu and Sajjala Sridhar Reddy, the court firmly rejected bail pleas of the prime accused Raj Kesireddy and Muppidi Avinash Reddy.
Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy was arrested in June last year at the Bengaluru airport while allegedly attempting to flee to Sri Lanka with Venkatesh Naidu. Since then, he remained in judicial custody. Multiple bail petitions were filed in lower courts without success. The High Court was approached only recently. Earlier, Chevireddy had drawn attention for hospital admissions amid claims of health issues. Even now, he cited varicose veins and sought treatment at a wellness centre. The court has now granted him bail after prolonged incarceration.
In contrast, the court took a tough stand against Raj Kesireddy, who served as an IT advisor during the previous YSRCP government. Senior leader Vijay Sai Reddy had publicly stated that Raj Kesireddy ran the liquor scam single-handedly. Arrested on April 21, 2025, he had allegedly evaded SIT notices and attempted to escape abroad using a fake identity. Acting on digital evidence, the SIT traced his location and arrested him at Shamshabad airport. The High Court’s decisions underline a clear distinction between peripheral accused and those alleged to be the masterminds.
