Electrical line inspector held for illegal assets

An electrical line inspector with Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company has been arrested for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income, estimated at crores of Rupees.

S Lakhsmi Reddy was arrested after simultaneous raids on his properties at different places in SPS Nellore and Prakasam districts, including Kavali town, over the last two days by the Anti Corruption Bureau officials.

The raids resulted in ACB discovering several houses, house sites, agricultural lands and dry land in the name of Reddy and that of his kin, ACB Director General R P Thakur said in a release.

Though ACB did not disclose the value of the assets, it is estimated to be worth crores of Rupees.

A residential building at Kavali, a house site, four plots of farmland, a car and a motorcycle were found registered in the name of the accused, the release said.

Two houses and several parcels of dry and agricultural land were registered in his wifes name, it said, adding that lease agreement related to aquaculture ponds in Nellore district was also found in her name.

At least two residential buildings, house sites and agricultural land were registered in the name of Reddys son, father, father-in-law and mother-in-law, the release added.

Reddy joined the electricity department as a helper in 1993 and rose to become a line inspector in 2014.