Gambling Dens: MLA Sridevi In Trouble WIth Audio Tape Leaks

The controversy over Tadikonda YCP MLA Undavalli Sridevi in connection with gambling dens is deepening by the day with a new audio released by Srungarampati Sandeep, her follower, who was expelled from her own party.

In the audio tape, Sridevi is heard expressing interest in running gambling dens where people can play cards and bet on games. The audio is going viral on social media.

The MLA also took the names of former minister Pattipati Pulla Rao and Modugula and said that one Sivarami Reddy told her that even those TDP leaders ran clubs, during the TDP regime. She further mentioned, in the audio, that some people from Bapatla were showing interest in running the gambling den and that Sivarami Reddy asked her to allot a suitable place for organising the activity at Ameenabad Thotalu or near Phirangipuram. She also said that the organisers would pay her 5 per cent commission if she agreed to the deal. After explaining the details of the deal, she asked Sandeep to look into the feasibility of running the den as she has information that there was more money in the entire proposal. The audio also had Sandeep’s voice and he was alerting the MLA that all such activities were illegal and appealed to her to think again on the issue.

Suresh arrested

In July, Sandeep’s nephew, Chalivendram Suresh, was arrested by the police for running a gambling den near Guntur. Along with him, 29 others were also taken into custody from the den being run in an apartment on the Guntur-Vijayawada highway. Police raided the place following information that people were coming in costly cars and gambling at the place. Following this arrest, Suresh and his uncle Sandeep were expelled from the YCP.

At that time itself, the MLA filed complaints against Sandeep, Suresh and one other person of trying to tarnish her image by pulling her name into organising the gambling den. She charged the duo with running a smear campaign against her on the social media. She said that the trio were just not able to digest that a woman was climbing her career ladder and so trying to bring disrepute to her. She also warned the news media channels that she would file cases against them if they ran false campaigns against her.

Sandeep’s version

Meanwhile, Sandeep alleged that the MLA was targeting him just because he asked her to repay the money for which he stood as the guarantor. He released a selfie-video stating that he and his family were fearing threat to their life from the MLA as three FIRs were filed against him on a single day and urged Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to save him while the MLA said that both the expelled YCP leaders and were planning to murder her. In the selfie video, Sandeep also said that two FIR cases were filed against him in the past.

MLA’s response

Responding to this, the MLA said that her voice was morphed in the audio tape. She said that she had filed a case in the Nagarapalem police station. Further, she said that it was not just she who filed a case against Sandeep and Suresh. There are many others who filed cases against them as they are involved in illegal activities. They were suspended from the YCP just because of their involvement in illegal activities, she pointed out.

They also have rowdy-sheets filed against them. Suresh was picked up from Namburu gambling den because he was involved in illegal activity, she said.

Police said that the MLA filed a case against the duo alleging that they were running a false campaign to defame her.

In the past too, Sridevi faced allegations that she was involved in illegal sand mining and one other audio in which she was abusive language against Tullur CI also became controversial.