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Naidu orders CBI probe into fake notes racket

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu today ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the fake currency note racket which was unearthed in Nizamabad district recently, even as the issue rocked the state assembly for the second consecutive day.

At the end of the acrimonious discussion for more than three and half hours, Naidu announced that he had decided to hand over the case to the CBI, in view of the inter-state ramifications of the racket.

In a hard-hitting reply to the discussion, marred by allegations and counter-allegations, he, however, rejected the main opposition Congress' demand for his resignation, owning moral responsibility, as Ramakrishna Goud, a ruling Telugu Desam Party functionary, was the main accused in the case.

The Congress members alleged that Goud took shelter in the residence of Transport Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and he was provided four gunmen though he was not a legislator or public figure, allegedly at the behest of the minister.

Congress legislature party leader P Janardhan Reddy demanded that Naidu resign to ensure a free and fair inquiry into the racket.

Reiterating his charge that Ramakrishna Goud had links with ruling TDP leaders and the chief minister, he claimed that Revenue Minister T Devender Goud and Home Minister A Madhava Reddy had telephoned the Nizamabad district police, interfering with the probe.

This provoked Devender Goud to angrily challenge Reddy to prove his charge failing which he should resign his membership of the house.

The house witnessed noisy scenes frequently with the Congress members vociferously protesting against the display of photographs in the house, showing Ramakrishna Goud felicitating Congress MP M Baga Reddy.

On more than one occasion, the Congress members rushed to the well of the house while the ruling party members hooted at them.

Naidu said 15 people, involved in the printing and distribution of fake currency notes, had been arrested so far.

Ramakrishna Goud, who was expelled from the TDP after the racket was unearthed, A Surender Reddy, brother of a former MP, and 13 others are yet to be arrested. The government had announced a reward of Rs 600,000 to those giving information, leading to their arrest.

Naidu assured the house that all the culprits would be arrested soon and no one allowed to go scot-free. The police would be given a free hand to deal sternly with the culprits.

Referring to the display of photographs by the Congress showing the main accused, along with Naidu, the chief minister said being a public figure, hundreds of people got photographed with him daily and this did not amount to having links with the culprits.

UNI

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