Andhra Pradesh Liquor Scam: Tilaknagar Industries, Bira's B9 Beverages, SNJ Sugars Named in Chargesheet

In a major development, the Andhra Pradesh Police has filed a detailed chargesheet exposing an extensive liquor scam involving over a dozen alcohol firms. Among the companies named are Tilaknagar Industries (maker of Mansion House brandy), B9 Beverages (maker of Bira), SNJ Sugars, UV Distilleries, and PV Spirits. The chargesheet alleges massive irregularities and kickbacks routed through covert gold purchases and fake vendor transactions.

According to the police, Tilaknagar Industries generated ₹1,472 crore in revenue from the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL). Out of this, ₹218 crore is alleged to have been rerouted as kickbacks to a liquor syndicate via jewellery companies. Investigators claim the company leveraged its influence within APSBCL to secure favorable sales and then masked bribe payments as business transactions involving gold.

“These transactions were shown as GST-compliant expenses while they were actually designed to convert white income into untraceable black assets,” the chargesheet noted.

SNJ Sugars reportedly routed an estimated ₹350 crore as kickbacks based on the volume and pricing of liquor supplied. Similarly, UV Distilleries and PV Spirits were found to have diverted ₹29.80 crore and ₹37.92 crore respectively through the same mechanism.

B9 Beverages, which emerged as a key supplier between 2019 and 2024, received about ₹360 crore in payments from APSBCL. Investigators allege that the firm used fictitious vendor firms to submit fake e-way bills and invoices for non-existent goods and services. The funds were allegedly withdrawn in cash and rerouted to handlers as illegal kickbacks.

While Tilaknagar Industries has denied any formal notice, it issued a statement saying:

“We would like to place on record that the company has not received any communication or information to this effect from any regulatory authority or enforcement agency, till date.”

This scandal comes amid a sharp decline in alcohol sales in Andhra Pradesh — once among India’s top three liquor-consuming states. Over the past five years, alcohol sales have halved, impacted by higher prices and new policies that favor local brands. A revised excise policy introduced in October last year expanded retail outlets and revised retail margins, altering the state's liquor landscape.

The chargesheet reveals a well-oiled and far-reaching network within the state’s liquor ecosystem, allegedly compelling even established players to engage in murky financial dealings to sustain market access and government contracts.

This case is expected to have major implications for the Indian liquor industry, especially in states where government-controlled sales dominate the market.