Anti-Corruption Bureau grills Dhulipalla in dairy scam

VIJAYAWADA: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) resumed interrogation in the sensational Sangam Diary scam by questioning former Ponnur MLA Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar, who was named as prime accused in the case. As Dhulipala recovered from Covid-19, the ACB officials served notices on Sunday instructing him to appear before the investigating officer at Armed Reserve Grounds in Vijayawada at 9 am on Monday. Narendra along with his advocate Gottipatti Ramakrishna Prasad reached the premises around 9 am. However, the officials did not allow Ramakrishna to attend the interrogation session. The agency recorded the entire two-hour interrogation session. 

Addressing the media after the interrogation, advocate Ramakrishna Prasad said he informed the ACB officials that Narandra has post-COVID weaknesses. The officials will question him once again on Tuesday. Sources in the ACB said the IO has presented the evidence gathered on various irregularities including forgery, illegal transfer of lands worth over `700 crore in the open market belonging to Sangam Diary, and recorded the statement pertaining to the same. 

“When Narendra was asked as to why they converted the dairy, which was under the cooperative society sector, into a firm under the Companies Act, he failed to answer. In addition, ACB collected evidence that the accused forged signatures of government officials,” CID sources said.