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This is an archive article published on March 28, 2024

As Kejriwal names Maguntas in court, father and son campaign for BJP ally in Andhra

Named by ED as members of the 'South Group', the two joined TDP on February 28; agency's case built around one of them turning approver.

MaguntasRaghava and Srinivasulu, a four-time MP from Ongole, joined the TDP on February 28 this year – both were welcomed into the party by its chief N Chandrababu Naidu. (FB/Raghava Reddy Magunta and Express photo)

Away from the national capital’s courtroom where the case against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is playing out, two key figures embroiled in the excise policy case – four-time MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and his son Raghava Magunta Reddy – are busy campaigning for BJP ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP), with the former expected to get a ticket from Andhra Pradesh’s Ongole. Raghava is, in fact, one of the approvers based on whose statement the Enforcement Directorate has built its case against Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party.

The ED alleges the father-son duo, who own Balaji Distilleries, are part of the ‘South Group’, whose members received undue benefits under the Delhi excise policy in exchange for kickbacks paid to the AAP.

It was in September 2022 that Srinivasulu’s name first emerged in the case, as the ED searched offices, premises and properties owned by him in Nellore, New Delhi and Chennai. He was, however, never made an accused in the case.

In February 2023, Raghava was arrested by the ED on money laundering charges. “Phir baap toot gaye (the father buckled then),” the CM said in Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday, alleging that following his son’s arrest, Srinivasulu changed his previous statement to the ED.

In October 2023, special court judge M K Nagpal allowed Raghava to turn an approver in the case. Kejriwal alleged that seven of Raghava’s statements were recorded, and six were not against him. “Only one statement was against me. As soon as he made a statement against me, he was released,” alleged the CM.

Raghava turned approver and was granted pardon in the ED case in October last year, and anticipatory bail in a CBI case in February this year.

He and Srinivasulu, a four-time MP from Ongole, joined the TDP on February 28 this year – both were welcomed into the party by its chief N Chandrababu Naidu.

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A former Congressman, Srinivasulu had quit the party ahead of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and joined the TDP. After a loss in the 2014 general elections, he joined the YSR Congress Party and won from Ongole in 2019. After five years with the YSRCP, Srinivasulu returned to the TDP fold late last month.

According to TDP sources, Srinivasulu initially planned to retire from politics, paving the way for son Raghava, who he hoped would get a ticket from the same Lok Sabha constituency that has been his stronghold. However, the TDP is learnt to be more keen on giving Srinivasulu a ticket as the excise case shadow still looms over his son.

In fact, sources say the excise case was also behind the father-son duo quitting the YSRCP because the party did not back them after Raghava’s arrest. Since then, according to sources, he had been increasingly sidelined. According to sources in the YSRCP, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was apprehensive of fielding someone embroiled in a case that has drawn national attention.

For the TDP, the family’s influence in Ongole presents an opportunity to make crucial inroads into the constituency. Apart from its political heft, the Magunta family owns Balaji Distilleries and two other companies, and has been in the liquor business for over seven decades.

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As soon as the father-son duo joined the TDP, Raghava started campaigning in the first week of March, hopeful of a ticket from the family stronghold. He held door-to-door walks in assembly constituencies of Ongole, Darsi, Giddalur, Kanigiri and Kondapi, which fall under the Ongole Lok Sabha seat.

According to sources, Raghav was also expected to cover the Yerragondapalem and Markapuram Assembly constituencies, but once Kejriwal was arrested, the TDP leadership felt it would be better for Srinivasulu to contest, and conveyed this to him.

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey.  2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More

 

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