In a major crackdown on illegal liquor operations, the Prohibition and Excise Department of Andhra Pradesh unearthed a large-scale fake liquor racket in Mulakalacheruvu, Annamayya district, seizing counterfeit stocks and materials worth nearly ₹1.75 crore.
The operation, conducted between October 1 and 5, 2025, exposed an inter-state network allegedly led by Addepalli Janardhan Rao, a bar license holder from Vijayawada. Working with his associate Raju, he reportedly employed workers from Tamil Nadu and Odisha to manufacture counterfeit liquor using fake brand labels. Over 15,000 bottles, 1,050 litres of spirit, and labeling equipment were seized during raids across Tamballapalle constituency.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who personally reviewed the case, ordered “zero tolerance” against spurious liquor, directing enforcement agencies to intensify raids and tighten surveillance along state borders.
The case also took a political turn as the TDP suspended local leaders Jayachandra Reddy and Katta Surendra Naidu over alleged links to the racket. Senior excise officials have been deployed across the Rayachoti, Madanapalle, and Rajampeta regions for continued operations.
Authorities have so far arrested 10 of 14 identified suspects, while efforts are underway to bring the main accused, currently abroad, back to India. Officials described the bust as a “major breakthrough against a well-organized inter-state syndicate.”
