Kickbacks paid by liquor syndicates to politicians, officials of the excise and police departments to make huge profits in the trade, runs into crores of rupees.

According to highly placed sources, while Ganesh syndicate bribed officials to the tune of Rs.1.8 crore between July and November last year, anot-her Vizag-based syndicate operated by K.V.R.K. Prasad bribed officials to the tune of Rs.30.73 lakh; this was mentioned by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in its report to the court recently.

Interestingly, the ACB in its report also said that Ganesh syndicate paid around Rs.1.2 lakh to a minister in the state Cabinet and a corporator, but did not mention their names.

According to the report filed by the ACB, Ganesh syndicate has paid Rs.26,67,000 to the state excise task force office, Rs.48,000 to the deputy commissioner, Rs.2.61 lakh to the enforcement wing of the excise department, Rs.7.33 lakh to excise superintendent J Hanumantha Rao who was arrested on January 28, Rs.1.96 lakh to the excise task force superintendent in the city, Rs.3.64 lakh to assistant superintendent Ramaraju, Rs.16.34 lakh to excise circle inspectors of various circles, Rs.12.02 lakh to the deputy commissioner, excise superintendent and excise stations, Rs.59,200 to excise depots and Rs.51,800 as Dasara mamools and tips to Pendurthy police and excise personnel in November.

The syndicate operated by K.V.R.K. Prasad paid a bribe of Rs.2.12 lakh to the deputy commissioner, Rs.1.4 lakh to the excise assistant superintendent, Rs.1.2 lakh to the assistant excise superintendent squad, Rs.4.4 lakh to excise stations 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The ACB DS, Mr K.R.K. Prasad, who was probing the liquor trade scam, was reportedly transferred for failing to mention the name of the minister to whom the liquor dealers paid a bribe.