If the reports doing rounds on social media circles are to be believed, notorious businessman-turned-politician Sana Satish Babu is likely to be nominated to Rajya Sabha by Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu soon.
Satish Babu will be appointed in the Rajya Sabha vacancy that is expected to arise following the resignation of YSRCP member Mopidevi Venkat Ramana who is expected to call its quits to his party as well as the Upper House membership.
According to the reports, Naidu, who has given the green signal for the entry of Mopidevi into the TDP, has finalised Satish Babu’s name for the vacancy.
Once Mopidevi resigns his Rajya Sabha seat and joins the TDP, Naidu will make an announcement on Sana Satish, the reports said.
In fact, Satish Babu’s name was originally considered for Kakinada Lok Sabha seat in the last elections, but the TDP had to allot the seat to the Jana Sena Party as part of alliance.
Subsequently, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan fielded “Tea Time” chain of stores owner Tangella Uday Srinivas for the seat and he won it comfortably.
But Satish Babu’s elevation to the Rajya Sabha might not be taken kindly by the TDP leaders as he has been facing several cases of money laundering and other criminal cases. He was arrested in the past and is presently on bail.
Last month, the Delhi high court upheld the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED’s) money laundering proceedings against businessmen Sana Satish Babu and Pradeep Koneru in a case allegedly involving them and meat exporter Moin Qureshi.
In 2019, Sana Satish Babu was arrested in connection with the money-laundering case involving Moin Qureshi.
The CBI was probing the purported purchase of shares worth Rs 50 lakh of a company linked to Qureshi by Satish Babu. It is suspected that the amount was paid as a bribe to settle a case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's special probe team, under the then Special Director Rakesh Asthana, had recommended his arrest in its own case against Qureshi and others.