Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana today denied the allegation leveled by TDP leader Mr Varla Ramaiah that his son Rajiv was involved in liquor business.

Addressing a media conference in his chamber at the Secretariat in Hyderabad, he said that it was true a firm was registered in the name of his son last year. “But I thought it was not good for my son to do that business while I was the excise minister. Hence, the project was shelved,” he said.

Varla Ramaiah said on Wednesday that the minister misused his position and ensured his son got the marketing and distribution rights of Black Eagle’ brand beer after rendering favours to the company.

The minister said that not even a single license was granted to the company for doing the business. “We didn’t get permission even to print labels,” he said, adding that the project has been long back shelved.

He took objection to the allegations made by the TDP leader without verifying the fact in this connection. (JUBS)