Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained G Kalyan Kumar, a former officer on special duty to ex-minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, following allegations of a Rs 700 crore scam in the Sheep Rearing Development Scheme (SRDS). This action was based on a complaint by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in December 2023. ED officials searched eight locations in Hyderabad, including Kalyan’s home.
During these searches, officials seized important documents and a large sum of money. Kalyan was questioned for approximately seven hours regarding financial misconduct in the sheep distribution plan initiated by the previous government. The ACB claims that Rs 700 crore was misappropriated in this scheme.
Kalyan Kumar and Sabavat Ramchander, the CEO of the Telangana Livestock Development Agency, are accused of diverting significant funds using fake beneficiaries. Several officials and intermediaries have been arrested. The ED has filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to investigate these financial activities.
The ACB discovered that substantial amounts were funneled into fake accounts as part of this scheme. The operation under the PMLA Act covered eight locations linked to beneficiaries and suspected middlemen, including Kalyan’s premises. The SRDS, launched by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government in April 2017, aimed to provide sustainable income to shepherd families.
