Telangana Sheep Distribution ‘Scam’: What You Need to Know

The Enforcement Directorate has recently sent a letter to the Telangana government seeking details of the Sheep Distribution scheme, sheep distribution scheme. Ever since the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) started its probe into the scam which is estimated to be around a whopping Rs 700 crore, several top leaders of the erstwhile BRS government are in the radar.

To recall, the Anti-corruption Bureau started its investigation six months ago after the change of the government in the state. During that time, the central agency was under the impression that the size of the scam was only about Rs 2.1 crore. However, as the investigation continued, the ACB sleuths reportedly found that it had wider ramifications.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) indicted the state government on the scam in its report in February, 2024. It had put the size of the scam at Rs 253 crore in seven districts. The CAG had pointed out several interesting and farcical dimensions of the scam.

Dimensions Of The Alledge Scam

During the audit of the documents, the CAG found that that in Khammam, one ambulance was used to ferry 84 sheep in a single trip. Those who are involved in the scam had said that the government records that they had taken 126 sheep in a single trip on a two-wheeler. However, in another shocking revelation – in Mahbubnagar district, 168 sheep were allegedly transported in a cab in single trip. In Nalgonda, an auto was used to take 126 sheep.

The CAG in its report said that the size of the scam could be Rs 253 crore in seven districts in the state. leaving scope that the size of the scam might further increase, which eventually happened as the ACB officials now suspect that it could be more than ₹700 crore.

The Enforcement Directorate has also written to the Managing Director of Telangana State Sheep and Goat Development Cooperative Federation Ltd (TSSGDCFL), seeking information on the Sheep Rearing Development Scheme (SRDC) in Telangana.

Two Officials Arrested in the Sheep Distribution Scheme Scam

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials have arrested Sabavath Ramchander, the Chief Executive Officer of Telangana State Livestock Development Agency and Gundamaraju Kalyan Kumar, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the then Animal Husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav in the alleged sheep distribution scam.

Ramchander is named A-9 and Kalyan Kumar A-10 in the case.