Ex-Minister’s wife held with र45 lakh

Hyderabad: The city police seized Rs 45.10 lakh from Kamala, wife of former Minister K Parthasarathi near L B Nagar in the city in the early hours of Friday. They found the money stashed away in a laptop bag in the possession of the Minister’s wife. They were conducting routine checks in a Vijayawada-bound bus of the APSRTC. Kamala and her escort were arrested and taken to Vanathalipuram police station where they were questioned and released on bail. She claimed to be taking the money for paying salaries of the staff at the family-owned Nitin Construction Company. The police said that since the money was not properly accounted for, it was handed over to the I-T Department. Parthasarathy is YSRCP nominee for Machilipatnam parliamentary constituency.

Reacting on the seizure of cash, Parthasdarahti said in Vijayawada that the money in possession of his wife would be fully accounted for. He said that any candidate in the fray for a parliamentary constituency was eligible for spending up to Rs 70 lakh. He explained that part of the money was meant to be deposited in his bank account to meet the election expenditure. Rest of the money was intended to clear the dues of the construction company owned by the family.