Andhra Pradesh CID has served summons on media baron Ramoji Rao and his daughter-in-law to appear before it in connection with the allegations of irregularities and siphoning of funds from Margadarsi Chit Fund Private Limited.

Rao and his daughter-inlaw Cherukuri Sailaja, who are chairman and managing director of the MCPL, respectively, were given the choice of four dates on which they have to make themselves available at their office or residence for examination by CID officials.

“Whereas in view of the facts of the case, for effective investigation and to arrive better conclusion I, being the investigation officer of the below mentioned crime feels that your examination is just and necessary. Hence you are hereby requested to make yourself available at your place of residence/office on 29.03.2023 or 31.03.2023 or 03.04.2023 or 06.04.2023, and cooperate for the investigation,” read the notice under section 160 CrPC issued by deputy superintendent of police of CID Ravi Kumar.

The duo was also asked to choose a convenient date for the same in separate notices issued to them. Cases have been booked against the two under sections 76 and 79 of the Chit Fund Act, 1982 at the CID police station in Mangalagiri.

In the second week of March, multiple FIRs were registered against Rao and Cherukuri Sailaja in police stations across the state. In November last year, the Andhra Pradesh government, under Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, reopened the Margadarsi scam case which was initially alleged by former Congress MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar.

The chief minister has often accused Ramoji Rao of being part of a gang of four which is key to the attempts to secure TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s return to power, dismantling the YSRCP government. The raids against MCPL began months after Rao met Union home minister Amit Shah apparently to broker an alliance between TDP and BJP.

Initially, the Stamps and Registration Department conducted inspection of the branches of MCPL. After several irregularities and violations of the Chit Fund Act came to light FIRs were lodged with the CID which took up investigations and conducted searches in multiple places in Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Vijayawada, Guntur, Narasaraopeta and Anantapur and staff.