Considering the recent Supreme Court’s judgment in favour of the Forest department over the rights of 106 acres of land worth ₹380 crore at Kompelli village near Bhupalpally town in the Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, the State government is now keen on taking up detailed investigation into cases related to forest land encroached upon by private persons. The government suspects that forest lands, valued at hundreds of crores, had been obtained or claimed by private persons in connivance with the officials and leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party during the previous government at several areas across the State.
Official sources said that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had taken serious note of the involvement of the then officials, including the District Collector, Joint Collector and AD, Survey and Lands Record, Bhupalpally, in helping the private party get the judgment in his favour in an appeal in the High Court regarding ownership of the land.
It is suspected that the previous government led by BRS had helped the land grabbers and realtors in claiming the ownership of the forest lands. Sources said that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had even asked the officials to probe the ‘Haritha Haram’ programme taken up under the BRS rule with an aim of enhancing the forest cover.
Meanwhile, the involvement of the then Bhupalpally District Collector, entrusted with safeguarding government lands, collaborating with encroachers and submitting a false affidavit to the Supreme Court in connection with the Kompelli land case, has sparked discussions among IAS officials.
The Supreme Court’s decision to probe those responsible for submitting misleading reports leading to the allocation of valuable forest lands to private individuals has become a focal point of discussion within government circles.
Reports circulating suggest that the then District Collector and revenue officials colluded with encroachers under pressure from a former BRS MLA. Allegations include the transfer of two divisional forest officers due to political interference aimed at manipulating reports to suit their interests in the Kompelli land case.
