Political war erupts over Vizag drug bust

Visakhapatnam/Vijayawada : The seizure of 25,000 kg drugs worth Rs 50,000 crore in Visakhapatnam from a private container terminal has led to a new wave of political storm across the state.

While the probe agencies have to find out who is behind the smuggling, who placed the order for such a huge quantity of cocaine from Brazil, the ruling YSRCP, TDP and BJP are now embroiled in accusing each other. Each one is trying to establish the links of the owners of the company which had placed the order.

YSR Congress Party general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy alleged the role of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and BJP state president D Purandeswari in the case. He said Purandeswari’s son was also a partner of the aqua company which imported the drugs. He said the YSRCP will seek a probe by the CBI into the drugs haul.

The TDP leaders alleged that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had turned Visakhapatnam into a drug capital of AP. TDP official spokesperson Pattabhiram said the CBI officials clearly mentioned that some state-level senior officials had created hurdles for the CBI to check the drug container.

TDP politburo member Varla Ramaiah and former MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao complained to Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena on Visakha drugs case alleging that they wanted to use the money from the drug sales in the elections and asked the CEO to take stern action against the guilty. Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan said whenever there was a seizure of drugs the roots point towards Andhra Pradesh. He asked the CBI to initiate action against those who played key role in the import of drugs.

Meanwhile, the company in question said it had ordered for inactive dried yeast to be used as feed for shrimp. “The container had started in January and reached Vizag on March 16. The CBI called us and opened the container in our presence. After conducting some tests, the CBI informed us that they suspected the presence of narcotics,” representatives of the company said, adding that they had documents pertaining to the order and would cooperate in the investigation.