The Andhra Pradesh-CID Special Investigation Team probing the irregularities in the alleged sale of assigned lands in the Amaravati region, claimed to have achieved a breakthrough in the case by arresting five close aides of former Telugu Desam Party Minister Ponguru Narayana. The main accused, Mr. Narayana, has sought anticipatory bail from the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and permission to go abroad for medical treatment. The hearing is likely to be held on Wednesday.
The five accused, identified as Kolli Sivaram (an employee of Ramakrishna Housing Ltd), Gattem Venkatesh, Chikkala Vijaya Saradhi, Bade Anjaneyulu and Kotti Krishna Dora Babu, have been arrested under Sections 409, 420 , 506 R/W , 120 (B), Section 3 (1) (g) and Section 3 (2), (Va) of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act 2015, Section 7 of AP Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act 1977 and Section 13 (2) R/W 13 (1) © (D) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 booked at CID, Mangalagiri.
The five accused have been charged with committing various irregularities in the purchase of 169. 27 acres in villages in the previous Capital region, but irregularities were committed related to 1,100 acres of assigned lands in Amaravati region, the CID said.
“Mr. Narayana, the then Minister (Municipal Administration and Urban Development), Government of A.P., orchestrated the illegal purchase of assigned lands in the capital city area , using his own relatives and acquaintances as benami transactions,” the CID said in a release.
In an interesting finding, the CID claimed that the former Minister had ignored the note findings of former Guntur Collector Kantilal Dande and former CRDA Commissioner Cherukuri Sreedhar that sale and purchase of assigned lands was against the AP (POT) Axt 1977. So far, the CID could unearth a financial trail of ₹15 crore from the accused to family members of Mr. Narayana through the bank accounts of Ramakrishna Housing Ltd.
The CID said that soon after the bifurcation of the State, Mr. Narayana and his associates allegedly orchestrated a plot by creating an insecurity in the minds of gullible peasants who were in the possession of assigned lands or encroachers or occupants of government lands, more particularly the Schedule Caste and backward castes, and through their men. Some revenue officials spread a message that the government would take away the assigned lands from the persons who are in their possession.
Mr. Narayana, who as Minister for Municipal Administration, had power to grant town layouts and building permissions, allegedly conspired with K.P.V. Anjani Kumar, director of Ramakrishna Housing Pvt. Ltd, and during investigation, it was proved that the bank accounts of Ramakrishna Housing Pvt Ltd were used for transferring the payments to the assigned land holders, and the employees of the company allegedly actively participated in these transactions.
Since Mr. Narayana had the information regarding the extent of the land and its nature/classifications, the accused used the employees, relatives and middlemen and allegedly intimidated the gullible peasants belonging to SC, ST, and BC communities, who were reportedly forced to sell lands at throw away prices. Initially, they obtained an agreement by paying a paltry amount, obtained GPAs, and thereafter the sale deeds, at cheaper rates., the CID said.
The CID also said that the former Minister bought 89.80 acres of land in name of his close relatives in Ananthavaram, Krishnayapalem, Kuragallu, Lingayapalem, Mandadam, Nekkallu, Nowluru, Rayapudi, Thullur, Uddandarayunipalem and Venkatapalem in different survey numbers. These lands were in the prohibited list as per the Section 22-A of the Indian Registration Act, 1908 and obtained 84 sale deeds on their names and obtained 72 GPAs in the name Yaganti Srikanth, Kolli Sivaram and Gummadi Suresh and submitted in Sub-Register Office, Mangalagiri.
However, these illegal transactions were declined by Arduru Gopal, the then Sub-Registrar of Mangalagiri, but due to alleged intense pressure, sale deeds were registered even as the lands were in prohibited list as per Section 22 A. Some of the accused also allegedly purchased assigned lands to the extent of 79.4 acres.
