Ex-DSP forced wine dealers to pay Rs 25 lakh

HYDERABAD: Officer on Special Duty, Kothagudem in Khammam district, P Ram Prasad, who was former DSP, Mahbubabad, mediated between Mahbubabad Congress MLA Malloth Kavitha and liquor syndicate organisers in payment of bribes to her,’’ Anti-Corruption Bureau  officials have said in their remand diary.Ram Prasad, who was arrested by the ACB on Sunday,  forced liquor traders to give bribes to the MLA and collected huge amounts on her behalf to allow them to form syndicates. According to the remand report submitted by the ACB while producing the accused in the ACB court here, Ram Prasad, while working as Mahbubabad DSP, had taken certain action to force the liquor traders to arrive at a settlement with the MLA. Kavitha had reportedly demanded Rs 25 lakh as bribe to allow liquor traders to allow them to form syndicates to run their business violating excise rules. When the liquor traders refused to pay up, she spoke to Ram Prasad and gave some instructions. The ACB officials said in the diary that Ram Prasad  also forced liquor traders to increase his monthly mamool from Rs 45,000 to Rs 1 lakh and even collected six months’ arrears.