The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is preparing to probe the Nagaram Bhoodan land scandal in Telangana, focusing on senior IAS and IPS officers and their families.
Sources indicate that ED is planning to call in May, the families of top officials who allegedly purchased the disputed lands.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the TG Government is showing little enthusiasm to intervene. However, the ED is keen on pursuing the case and wants to question the kin of bureaucrats on whose names the land has been purchased.
Due to bulk purchases by officers, the entire modus operandi has come under serious scrutiny. Sources hint
that the son of a former DGP played a key role in many transactions.
It may be mentioned here that the Telangana High Court had voiced serious concern over the acquisition of restricted Nagaram Bhoodan lands by senior officials.
Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy issued summons to IAS and IPS officers and their family members, questioning why an inquiry by the CBI or the ED was not ordered earlier. Government sources said the matter is sub-judice and that the law will take its course.
The prominent officials who received notices are Navin Mittal, IAS; D. Amoy Kumar, IAS; S. Harish, IAS; Ravi Gupta, IPS; Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, IPS; T. Srinivas Rao, IPS; Sowmya Mishra, IPS; Swati Lakra, IPS; and Tarun Joshi, IPS, and many others.
The ED is reportedly keen on calling the kin instead of the officials directly, sources indicated
The individuals and families who received the notices are Battula Hemalatha (wife of Battula Shivadhar Reddy, IPS), Priyanka Ratan (daughter of Late Rajiv Ratan, IPS), Ravi Gupta (self), Mudireddy Nitesh Reddy (son of Mahender Reddy, IPS), Thatiparthi Pavani Rao (wife of T. Prabhakar Rao, IPS), Rekha Sharraf (wife of Umesh Sharraf, IPS), Rajarshi Shah (self, IAS), Swati Lakra (self, IPS), Mitte Sahithi Suhana (daughter of Mitte Srinibasu), Nandini Mann (wife of Vikram Singh Mann, IPS), Dr. Gyan Mudra (wife of Somesh Kumar, IAS), B.K. Rahul Hegde (self), Savyasachi Pratap Singh (son of Govind Singh), G. Om Anirudh (son of G. Sudheer Babu, IPS), Indu Rao Kaveti (wife of Laxminarayan Rao Kaveti), Nyalakonda Sindhu Reddy (wife of Nyalakonda Prakash Reddy), Aishwarya Raj (wife of Vikas Raj, IAS), Vennavelli Radhika (wife of V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, IPS), Vasundhara Sinha (wife of Anjani Kumar, IPS), Reeta Sultania (wife of Sandeep Kumar Sultania, IAS), Muthyala Vineela (wife of Stephen Raveendra, IPS), Ajit Kumar Mohanty (self, son of Khestrabasi Mohanty), Rahul Busi Reddy (son of B. Janardhan Reddy, IAS), Perla Varun (son of Perla Vishwa Prasad), Tarun Joshi (self, IPS), Soumya Mishra (self, IPS), Thota Srinivasa Rao (son of Thota Sai Babu, IPS), Konduru Sreenath Raju (son of Konduru Satyanarayana), Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat (self, IPS), Renu Goyal (wife of Jitender Kumar Goyal), Ajay Jain (self), and Amita Kumar (wife of Anil Kumar).
The HC issued notices to the CBI, the ED, the Union Home Ministry, and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to respond.
The High Court directed the Ranga Reddy Collector and District Registrar to list Survey Numbers 181, 182, 194, and 195 of Nagaram village in Maheshwaram mandal as prohibited properties, given the serious allegations of misuse of power. The court ordered that no alterations, changes, or transactions should be allowed on these lands until further instructions.
The petitioner, Birla Mahesh, alleged large-scale fraud involving the manipulation of revenue records, fabrication of inheritance claims, and unlawful land transfers facilitated by bureaucrats in collaboration with revenue and registration officials.
Despite numerous complaints to the Chief Minister’s Office and the Central Vigilance Commission, no corrective action was taken.
