Probe wil be completed in 45 days: Sports minister

Vijayawada: Sports minister M Ramprasad Reddy announced a comprehensive investigation into the al-leged Aadudam Andhra sports scam that occurred during the previous YSRCP government. The minister said the YSRCP government spent a staggering Rs 120 crore in just 47 days to or-ganise sports and games programmes across the state.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Ramprasad Reddy stated that the vigilance and enforcement department, along with the CID, will conduct the probe. He assured that the findings, including the names of officials and individuals involved in the scam, will be made public within 45 days.

The announcement came in response to queries raised by MLAs Bhuma Akhila Priya, Adireddy Srinivas, Gautu Sirisha, and K Murali Mohan, who sought details about the alleged irregulari-ties in the Aadudam Andhra programme. The MLAs questioned whether financial misman-agement had indeed occurred and what actions the government had taken against those re-sponsible.

In his reply, the minister confirmed that the matter would also be referred to the House com-mittee for further scrutiny. He emphasised that the investigation would be thorough and trans-parent, with the guilty parties being exposed. Assembly Speaker Ch Ayyannapatrudu supported the call for a detailed probe, expressing astonishment at how Rs 120 crore could be spent in just 47 days.

Earlier in the session, MLAs Bhuma Akhila Priya, Gautu Sirisha, and Adireddy Srinivas accused the previous government of misappropriating crores of rupees under the guise of organising sports events. They alleged that substandard sports kits were distributed and that funds were siphoned off at various levels, from village to state-level programmes.

Akhila Priya specifically questioned the decision to invite foreign artistes for the concluding ceremony in Visakhapatnam and the use of private security despite the availability of local police. She also cast doubts about inflated participation figures, seeking a full investigation to identify those responsible.

MLA Sirisha highlighted the lack of clear financial records and accountability for the funds spent on Aadudam Andhra, alleging that commissions worth crores changed hands in the pro-cess. Adireddy Srinivas accused the YSRCP government of widespread corruption, claiming that the scam had exploited lakhs of players and sportspersons across the state.

The MLAs urged the sports minister to ensure strict action against the culprits.

Minister Ramprasad Reddy assured the Assembly that the investigation would be swift and transparent, with the results shared publicly within the stipulated 45-day timeframe.