Amidst a pivotal turn in the affair concerning the allocation of sheep, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has brought to light that the magnitude of the scandal approximates a staggering Rs 700 crores. The sheep allotment initiative stood as a favored endeavor under the former BRS administration.
On Friday, ACB authorities apprehended two individuals allegedly implicated in the irregularities surrounding the initiative. They are Gundamaraju Kalyankumar, erstwhile Officer on Special Duty to the then Minister of Animal Husbandry, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, and Ramchander Naik, Chief Executive Officer of the Animal Development Corporation and former Managing Director of the State Sheep and Goat Development Association.
Following intensive interrogation, ACB ascertained that the scandal’s worth extends to Rs 700 crores. The ACB’s inquiry was initially prompted by a complaint alleging the diversion of approximately Rs 2.1 crores in cash.
Among the identified individuals involved in the case, ten stand out, with six already in custody.
Ramchander, who previously occupied the position of Director in the Animal Husbandry Department, faced removal from office in February, subsequently assuming the role of CEO within the Animal Husbandry Development Corporation.
In response to public grievances against certain officials and intermediaries, the Gachibowli Police initiated legal proceedings, prompting ACB to file a First Information Report (FIR) following accusations of deceitful practices among beneficiaries.
The sheep allocation endeavor, launched in 2017, aimed to bolster the livelihoods of shepherd families by offering each household a complement of 20 sheep at a subsidy rate of 75 percent. Nevertheless, suspicions arose regarding financial impropriety during the program’s execution.
Investigations uncovered instances wherein animal husbandry officials escorted beneficiaries from Telangana to Andhra Pradesh to procure sheep from local vendors, subsequently funneling Rs 2.1 crores into fictitious accounts.
Acting on intelligence, Ramchander and Kalyankumar faced arrest on Friday, appearing before the Nampally ACB court, which remanded them to a 14-day custody stint at Chanchalguda jail.