Casino owner Chikoti Praveen, aide Madhav Reddy grilled by ED

Casino organiser Chikoti Praveen Kumar and his aide Madhava Reddy on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the alleged violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Casino organiser Chikoti Praveen Kumar and his aide Madhava Reddy on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the alleged violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The ED on July 30 raided the farmhouse of Chikoti Praveen Kumar in Kadtal Ranga Reddy district of Telangana along with several other places.

Earlier on July 29, Chikoti Praveen's residence at IS Sadan of Hyderabad and Madhav Reddy's residence in Boinpally was raided by the investigative agency. ED noticed that Chikoti Praveen along with others was organising a casino for VIPs in Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

After a raid that stretched on for 18 hours Enforcement Directorate officials seized various important documents and checked and searched all the luxury cars owned by Chikoti. Earlier it was alleged that Chikoti Praveen had organised and conducted a casino in a Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Minister's function hall in Gudiwada in Andhra Pradesh at the time of the Sankranti festival in January this year.

Kumar was found to be in illegal possession of dozens of exotic animals. According to the Kandukur Forest Deputy Range Officers, it is illegal to keep wildlife animals as pets, it is a non-bailable offence and strict action will be taken against the persons involved.

"Keeping wildlife animals as pets in farmhouse is a violation and we have noticed that wildlife animals and snakes have been kept as pets in Chikoti Praveen Kumar's farmhouse in Kadtal of RR District. Non-bailable cases will be registered against organisers of this farmhouse," Hema, Kandukur Forest Deputy Range Officer said. (ANI)