Tirupati: Mulakalacheruvu illicit liquor probe witnessed a significant development with excise authorities have taken expelled Telugu Desam Party leader Dasaripalli Jayachandra Reddy into custody. Officials brought him from Bengaluru to Madanapalle late Wednesday, where he is now facing intensive questioning at the excise office.

The investigation has been unfolding since October, when teams uncovered a covert facility operating in Mulakalacheruvu mandal of Annamayya district. The unit, hidden within a rented building, was allegedly producing large volumes of spurious liquor each day.

Officers say the operation relied on industrial spirit and methanol, with the final product packaged using forged labels before being channelled to bars and belt shops across surrounding areas. The raids resulted in the seizure of adulterated liquor and raw material valued at Rs 1.75 crore.

Probing officials trace the origins of the racket to Addepalli Janardhan Rao, a bar licence holder from Vijayawada. According to investigators, he oversaw the manufacturing unit with the support of several accomplices and employed workers from Tamil Nadu and Odisha to imitate well-known liquor brands. Rao was detained on October 10 at Gannavaram airport while attempting to leave the city.

Documents submitted to the court suggest that Jayachandra Reddy maintained financial dealings and informal arrangements with Rao, raising suspicions that the manufacturing unit functioned with his awareness, if not his direction. Although Rao later circulated a video message attempting to absolve Reddy of involvement, excise officials say verification of his role is still underway. Reddy has been named A-17 in the case, and his arrest brings the overall number of people held to 32.

Before his expulsion from the TDP, Reddy contested as Telugu Desam Party candidate in the 2024 polls from Tamballapalle and later served as the party’s constituency in-charge. His removal from the party was confirmed by TDP state president Palla Srinivas Rao on October 6. Several individuals closely linked to him including his brother-in-law Giridhar Reddy (A-18), his personal assistant Rajesh, accountant Anburaj, driver Syed Kaleem Ashraf, and domestic worker Anburasu—have already been arrested in connection with the case.