KURNOOL/ANANTAPUR: Members of Keshava Reddy Badhitula Sankshema Sangham on Friday demanded action against former minister C Adinarayana Reddy, accusing him of sheltering Nagireddy Keshava Reddy, founder chairman of Keshava Reddy Group of Educational Institutions, which is accused in the Rs 850-crore deposit scam.

A group of victims, led by Peddireddy, former sarpanch of Narpala mandal in Anantapur district, met SP B Satya Yesu Babu and submitted a representation demanding action against the duo. In Kurnool, another group of parents of the students who studied in Keshava Reddy schools staged a protest at Sri Krishna Devaraya Circle, seeking justice from the government.

Raghavendra, a protester, said, “Assets of Keshava Reddy should be seized and the depositors should be refunded. We urge the CM to do justice to us and take action against Adinarayana Reddy.” 

Keshava Reddy Educational Institutions in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had allegedly collected refundable deposits of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh from parents to provide free education till Class 10 at the time of admissions. About Rs 850 crore was collected from 12,000 students in 40 branches of the school.

Promissory notes were given to parents, but the amount was not refunded when the students left the school. Cases were filed against Keshava Reddy under various sections of Andhra Pradesh Protection of Depositors of Financial Establishments Act, 1999, and he was arrested on September 10, 2015.