Fear of arrests is haunting the liquor mafia who earned crores of rupees by selling liquor at exorbitant prices in the district and gave crores of rupees of bribes to the prohibition and excise as well as police department officials.

The ACB officials conducted raids and obtained information on the liquor mafia and corrupt officials.

With the arrest of liquor syndicate accountant Ramamohana Reddy on Sunday, the liquor syndicate is absconding from the district.

They have gone underground fearing arrests by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Liquor traders paid crores of rupees to the government as licence fee and later sold the liquor at excess price.

This has been continuing for several years. The liquor consumers raised hue and cry on selling liquor at exorbidant prices and demanded the government to resp-ond.

But, their appeals went unheeded.

Finally, the ACB officials intervened and conducted raids last month on liquor syndicate office in Vijaya-wada and other parts of the district.

In all, 335 liquor shops and 180 bars are functioning in Krishna district. Interestingly, the liquor syndicate maintained rec-ords in code language on the bribes given to the prohibition and excise department and police officials. The ACB officials collected the names of more than 200 officials involved in the corruptpractices.

Meanwhile, the police and excise and prohibition officials are intensively lobbying to get information whether their names are mentioned in the report submitted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Under the supervision of Anti-Corruption Bureau DSP Mr Vishnu, the officials conducted raids in the district.

It is estimated the liquor mafia paid monthly bribes of Rs.1.50 crore in Krishna district.

Average sales per day is Rs.60 crore. The liquor mafia is selling liquor at least at 40 per cent excess price.

The excess profit they got was distributed to the officials in the form of bribe. The officials earned crores of rupees income illegally through bribes from the liquor syndicate.