Ongole gold merchants support Nallamalli Balu

Ongole: The Gold Silver and Diamond Merchants Association in Ongole expressed solidarity to their member Nallamalli Bala Rama Girish alias Balu in the case of Tamil Nadu police seizing Rs 5.22 crore and arresting the people transporting it to Chennai.

Association president Tata Prasad, honorary president Dasari Narayana Rao, secretary Perla Ramesh Kumar, vice-presidents Nallamalli Kumar and Vemuri Bujji conducted a press meet here on Friday and supported their member. Gold merchant Nallamalli Balu said that his family is into retail and wholesale gold business for over a century and owns about 15 shops and showrooms in Ongole. He claimed that they bring gold ornaments from makers at various states and sell them to the merchants at other places in the district. He said that to bring fresh stock for the business in Sravanamasam, they sent the money to Chennai for purchase of jewellery, but the police seized it and handed over the case to income tax and customs officials. He said they have submitted all proofs about the money to the officials and there is nothing to do with the minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy or any other politician in the district.

Balu said that the old vehicle sticker of Giddaluru MLA Anna Rambabu was procured by the driver of the vehicle, which was owned by his cousin in Tamil Nadu and he do not know about it. He claimed that the merchants from other places paid the money for the earlier transactions, after the lockdown is lifted and it is the same money sent to Chennai for the purchase of ornaments.

Education minister Dr Audimulapu Suresh, Santhanuthalapadu MLA TJR Sudhakar Babu, Addanki YSRCP in-charge Bachina Krishna Chaitanya and others condemned the remarks of the Opposition leaders linking the money to Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and advised them to talk sense.