Vijayawada’s Hawala Case Gets Murkier, TD Minister Steps In to ‘Settle’ Issue

Vijayawada: Even before the buzz about the multi-crore hawala scam in Visakhapatnam has died down, another major hawala scam has hit Andhra Pradesh, this time in Vijayawada.

City doctors Puvvada Ramakrishna and Maineni Hemanth have reportedly tried to launder huge amounts using the Hawala route. They requisitioned the services of one Brahmaji, an alleged hawala agent. However, there were differences among them over the delay in getting back the funds. The doctors felt that Brahmaji was trying to deliberately delay the paybacks. They reportedly got Brahmaji kidnapped and took him to a mango orchard on the city's outskirts. Brahmaji was beaten black and blue. He was later admitted into a hospital for treatment for the injuries he suffered.

Minister, Media baron get involved

Meanwhile, Brahmaji's relatives lodged a complaint with the police about Brahmaji going missing. According to the police, Brahmaji received money from the doctors to park the funds abroad through hawala route. The doctors began suspecting Brahmaji as they were not getting the money back according to the promised timelines. The police investigating the case have stumbled upon the involvement of some black sheep in the department. They suspect that some cops had unofficially helped the doctors in getting Brahmaji kidnapped.

Meanwhile, the car used for kidnapping the agent was seized by the police. Vijayawada City Commissioner of Police Goutham Sawang ordered a departmental inquiry against the officials involved in the kidnap case.

TDP Minister enters the fray

In another development, a TDP minister from Krishna district has shown keen interest in the case. He is reportedly trying to broker between the doctors and the hawala agent. The minister in Chandrababu Naidu Government is said to be close to the hawala agent. One of the doctors involved in the case is closely related to a media baron. So, efforts are on to bring them to the discussion table and solve the pending issues. It is suspected that there could be many more hawala agents like Brahmaji in Vijayawada city alone.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview to Sakshi TV, Brahmaji, now recuperating in the hospital, said that Andhra Jyothi correspondent was present when he was being beaten up by the doctors’ henchmen. “The reporters was sipping beer provided by the goons. How can anyone say that he is not linked to them. He had even taken pictures of me and shot my statements,” Brahmaji told Sakshi correspondent.