Police on Wednesday traced the bags of money left behind at the residence of Women Empowerment, Child and Disabled Welfare Minister Peetala Sujatha a day earlier to two women from Padala village in Tadepalligudem mandal.
The women, Sri Lakshmi and her mother A. Vishnumathi, are being questioned. Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Bhushan told The Hindu that the women were being asked how they came to leave a bag containing a lot of cash at the Minister’s residence and whether they were acting at the behest of third parties.
Two bags were found abandoned at the Minister’s house on Tuesday, containing Rs.10 lakh in cash, a hall ticket for the District Selection Committee exam and the academic certificates of Sri Lakshmi.
Vishnumathi is said to have explained that they had gone to the Minister’s house to meet the latter’s father. She had withdrawn the money from a bank to make purchases required for a marriage in the family.
According to sources, a few women visited the Minister’s house at Veeravasaram and left the bags on the premises on Tuesday evening. The unclaimed bags were noticed by Ms. Sujata’s house keeper, Ch. Subba Rao, who informed the police. Mr. Bhaskar said that the Minister spoke to him over phone to inform about the cash bags.
A case was booked under Section 102 of the Indian Penal Code. Narsapuram DSP P. Sowmya Latha has been appointed to investigate it.
