Following a complaint lodged by Telugu Desam Party leader K Yerrannaidu with the Centre, 2 ministers are likely to face charges of corruption.
A former secretary to the Central government, M D Asthan, who is arriving in Hyderabad here on March 28th, would visit the Srikakulam and West Godavari districts to collect a firsthand account of the graft charges against Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and Tourism Minister Vatti Vasanth Kumar.
The Asthan Committee was appointed on March 25th to enquire into the allegations made by TDP leader and MP K Yerannaidu, who belongs to Srikakulam district.
The role of the Chief Minister, N Kiran Kumar Reddy, has not been ruled out, sources say.
The allegation against Vatti Vasantha Kumar is that he had used his official position to construct a road to the fisheries tank owned by him in West Godavari with funds meant for NREG schemes. Dharmana Prasada Rao is charged with constructing roads that lead to the ‘granite quarries’ in Srikakulam district, which had already attracted the attention of the media.
The granite quarries were owned by Dharmana’s son Naidu during YSR's rule. In the recent past, when locals protested against the Minister’s son’s encroachment, the officials concerned tried to suppress them.
However, the issue raged into a controversy with the groundswell against the cited ‘occupation’ of the land in Srikakulam.
Social audits revealed that under fictitious names, bogus bank accounts were opened, and funds intended for distribution to the labourers were drawn and shared by the authorities and leaders who were hands in glove.
Audits found that there were irregularities in the implementation of welfare schemes, and funds over Rs. 100 crores were misplaced.