The High Court on Monday turned down the anticipatory bail petition filed by former labour and employment minister Pithani Satyanarayana’s son Pithani Suresh.
On July 10, Pithani Suresh filed anticipatory bail petition after the ACB arrested Pithani Satyanarayana’s former personal secretary Murali Mohan at the Secretariat in Amaravati. Fearing arrest, Pithani Suresh had filed an anticipatory bail.
The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the arrests were being carried out as part of the YSRCP government’s vindictive politics. Hearing the case, the High Court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail plea. The ACB officials are on the lookout for Pithani Suresh to arrest him. On July 10, the ACB sleuths swooped down on his residence in Hyderabad.
The ACB has so far arrested at least 10 accused in the ESI scam, including senior TDP leader Atchannaidu.
The ESI scam relates to several irregularities in the purchase of medicines, surgical equipment and furniture to the tune of Rs 150. The Vigilance and Enforcement directorate found irregularities in the procurement of drugs, medicines and medical kits.
Atchannaidu was arrested on June 12 in an early morning swoop from his residence in Tekkali in Srikakulam district although his name did not figure in the Vigilance and Enforcement directorate report. ESI directors C Ravi Kumar, G Vijay Kumar, joint director Janardhan, superintendent Chakravarthy and a senior assistant were already arrested.
Around 300 police personnel circled Atchannaidu’s residence, some of them even scaled the compound wall, barged in and arrested. The TDP leader at the time of arrest underwent piles surgery. Despite the surgery, the TDP leader was made to travel more than 500 kms from his home town to Guntur and forced to sit in a car for over 15 hours.
OK.