Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu
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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged massive corruption took place in the state’s excise sector under the previous regime, describing the AP liquor scam as one of the biggest ever.
He was speaking in the State Assembly in Amaravati on Wednesday.
He said while earlier estimates pegged the scam at ₹3,500 crore, the scale could be as high as ₹10,000 crore.
The Chief Minister claimed that distilleries were taken over, and wholesale operations, transport and retail liquor shops were controlled by a single network.
He further alleged that transactions were carried out without proper digital tracking, enabling arbitrary and unchecked operations.
Naidu informed the House that the government has constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee and initiated a comprehensive overhaul of the excise system.
Emphasising that public health is the top priority, he said that earlier only select “own brands” were promoted, whereas now national and international brands are available in the state.
Published on March 4, 2026
