Andhra Pradesh Youth Congress leader stage-managed gun-shot drama

Youth Congress leader M. Vikram Goud, who was injured in a firing last week, had stage-managed the incident and allegedly offered Rs 50 lakh to a gang he had hired to execute the plan, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner M. Mahender Reddy said that Goud, who was still undergoing treatment at a hospital, was under police surveillance and would be arrested once he is discharged. Police have arrested five other accused, while two others are on the run. The arrested include Raees Khan, a native of Indore, who had opened two rounds on Goud.

Goud, 35, has been booked for abetment to commit crime, criminal conspiracy, causing disappearance of evidence and using illegal firearm.

Goud, a businessman and son of former Andhra Pradesh Minister M. Mukesh Goud, was injured in the firing at his residence in upscale Banjara Hills area at 3.30 a.m on July 28. He had told the police that two assailants riding a bike barged into his house and opened fire. The police investigations, however, revealed that Goud had himself planned the attack and hired a gang to execute it.

Goud, who also produced some Telugu films and had investments in real estate and other businesses, had hoped to gain public sympathy in the Jubliee Hills constituency in Hyderabad from where he is planning to contest next assembly elections in 2019.