Probe widens as fake liquor racket spreads

Tirupati: The Excise Department has stepped up its investigation into a large-scale fake liquor racket that first surfaced in Mulakalacheruvu of Annamayya district and has now reached Ibrahimpatnam in NTR district. What began as a small illegal unit has turned out to be a well-organised network spanning multiple districts.

Officials said the racket was masterminded by Janardhan Rao, who allegedly ran the operation with the help of his brother Jaganmohan Rao. The duo reportedly produced spurious liquor in Mulakalacheruvu by mixing rectified spirit, malt, and caramel, before transporting it to Ibrahimpatnam for bottling and packaging. Labourers hired on trust were involved in the production and distribution, ensuring the fake liquor reached wine shops and belt shops across various districts.

The investigation picked up pace after Excise teams discovered strong links between the Mulakalacheruvu unit and bottling facilities in Ibrahimpatnam. Acting on this information, officials raided two warehouses belonging to Janardhan Rao and seized sealing machines, fake labels, hologram stickers, and packaging cartons. The liquor was found packed in quarter bottles bearing labels of popular brands such as Old Admiral, Classic Blue, Kerala Malt, and Manjeera. The packaging was so convincing that distinguishing it from genuine brands was almost impossible, officials said.

During interrogation, Jaganmohan Rao reportedly revealed details about the operations in Ibrahimpatnam and the role of various intermediaries. Authorities are also mapping Janardhan Rao’s business network, tracing his financial transactions, and questioning his close aides.

Interestingly, Janardhan Rao released a video message from abroad, claiming that he had nothing to do with the racket. He said he had travelled overseas for medical treatment and would return soon to ‘clarify the facts.’ He also accused unnamed individuals of attempting to exploit the case for political mileage and insisted that Telugu Desam Party leaders from Thamballapalle were in no way connected to the illegal trade. Officials confirmed that Janardhan, a native of Ibrahimpatnam, had run a grocery business before stepping into the liquor trade in 2012. He later acquired a bar license through auction and gradually expanded his operations. However, investigators suspect he left for an African country on September 24, just before the raids, and has not returned since.

The probe has also taken a political twist. Excise teams have raided the house of Kodali Srinivasa Rao, YSRCP worker from Ithanagar in Guntur district, who has been named as the 12th accused in the case. Srinivasa Rao, who served as a polling agent for the YSRCP during the 2024 elections, allegedly took the Mulakalacheruvu shed, where the liquor was produced, on lease in his name. Three special teams have now been formed to trace his whereabouts.