Andhra: Former minister Ambati sent to judicial custody in Sankranti lucky draw case

Vijayawada: A court in Guntur on Thursday remanded YSRC senior leader and former minister Ambati Rambabu to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with a case relating to a lucky draw organised during Sankranti festivities.

The court had issued a PT warrant on Wednesday seeking his production by February 18. Accordingly, police produced him before the court on Thursday, after which he was shifted to the Central Prison at Rajamahendravaram. While being taken in a police vehicle, Ambati Rambabu was seen making a hand gesture popularised by the film Pushpa and reportedly asked the police not to touch him.

The case relates to Sankranti Sambaralu organised at Sattenapalli in January 2023, when Ambati Rambabu was serving as a minister. It is alleged that volunteers collected Rs 200 each from pensioners’ pension amounts and issued two lottery tickets per person. A lucky draw was later conducted on Sankranti day and prizes were distributed to winners.

Subsequently, Jana Sena Guntur district president Gade Venkateswara Rao lodged a complaint in the Guntur Principal Senior Civil Court, following which the Sattenapalli town police registered a case.