CID arrests five in Amaravati assigned lands scam

VIJAYAWADA: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday arrested five people for their involvement in the Amaravati assigned lands scam. It may be noted that the then municipal administration and urban development minister, P Narayana, is also named as one of the accused in the case.

The investigative agency made the arrests in the case registered in 2020 under various Sections of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and AP Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act after it was alleged that the former minister and his associates bought assigned lands at low prices through fraudulent ways.
The arrested people have been identified as Kolli Sivaram and Gattem Venkatesh of Vijayawada, employees of a private housing company, and Chikkala Vijaya Saradhi, Bade Anjanayelu and Kotti Krishna Dora Babu of Vizag.

It has been alleged that the bank accounts of the housing firm were used for transferring payments to the land holders.The CID stated that Narayana and his aides created an insecurity in the minds of peasants who were in possession of the assigned lands or occupants of government lands, more particularly the Schedule Castes (SC) and Backward Classes (BC), by spreading a message that the government will reassume the lands without compensation. 

So far, a financial trail of `15 crore has been identified from the entities connected to Narayana and Ramakrishna Housing Private Limited, the CID said, adding that these funds are connected to the purchase of the assigned lands from farmers at throw away prices.

Narayana bought 89.8 acres of assigned land: CID

According to the CID, Narayana had control over granting permissions for town layouts and buildings and so the former minister along with his family conspired with the director of the private housing company and used its bank accounts to transfer the amounts.

The investigative agency further added that the accused through employees, relatives and middlemen intimidated SC, ST and BC peasants saying that the land assigned to them was Government Land, which would be reassumed without any compensation.

Misguided, the farmers and occupants disposed off their assigned lands for whatever money was offered. The lands were purchased by close associates of Narayana, the investigating agency said.The CID explained, “Narayana mobilised officials in the village to gather only patta lands for land pooling without clear indication of the decision on assigned lands. As a part of their conspiracy, they initially struck an agreement by paying a paltry amount, obtained general power of attorneys (GPA), and then the sale deeds at cheap rates. Narayana purchased nearly 89.80 acres of assigned lands in the capital region.”

These lands were in the prohibited list as per Section 22-A of the Indian Registration Act, 1908. The accused obtained 84 sale deeds on their names and obtained 72 GPAs under the name of the former minster’s associates.

The CID said these illegal transactions were declined by the then sub-registrar of Mangalagiri, Arduru Gopal, but intense pressure was brought on the officer to facilitate the registration of the sale deeds.
“Some other accused and their associates purchased assigned lands to the tune of 79.475 acres and obtained 76 sale deeds from farmers and submitted them at the Mangalagiri sub-registrar office,” the CID said.

VIJAYAWADA: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday arrested five people for their involvement in the Amaravati assigned lands scam. It may be noted that the then municipal administration and urban development minister, P Narayana, is also named as one of the accused in the case. The investigative agency made the arrests in the case registered in 2020 under various Sections of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and AP Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act after it was alleged that the former minister and his associates bought assigned lands at low prices through fraudulent ways. The arrested people have been identified as Kolli Sivaram and Gattem Venkatesh of Vijayawada, employees of a private housing company, and Chikkala Vijaya Saradhi, Bade Anjanayelu and Kotti Krishna Dora Babu of Vizag. It has been alleged that the bank accounts of the housing firm were used for transferring payments to the land holders.The CID stated that Narayana and his aides created an insecurity in the minds of peasants who were in possession of the assigned lands or occupants of government lands, more particularly the Schedule Castes (SC) and Backward Classes (BC), by spreading a message that the government will reassume the lands without compensation.  So far, a financial trail of `15 crore has been identified from the entities connected to Narayana and Ramakrishna Housing Private Limited, the CID said, adding that these funds are connected to the purchase of the assigned lands from farmers at throw away prices. Narayana bought 89.8 acres of assigned land: CID According to the CID, Narayana had control over granting permissions for town layouts and buildings and so the former minister along with his family conspired with the director of the private housing company and used its bank accounts to transfer the amounts. The investigative agency further added that the accused through employees, relatives and middlemen intimidated SC, ST and BC peasants saying that the land assigned to them was Government Land, which would be reassumed without any compensation. Misguided, the farmers and occupants disposed off their assigned lands for whatever money was offered. The lands were purchased by close associates of Narayana, the investigating agency said.The CID explained, “Narayana mobilised officials in the village to gather only patta lands for land pooling without clear indication of the decision on assigned lands. As a part of their conspiracy, they initially struck an agreement by paying a paltry amount, obtained general power of attorneys (GPA), and then the sale deeds at cheap rates. Narayana purchased nearly 89.80 acres of assigned lands in the capital region.” These lands were in the prohibited list as per Section 22-A of the Indian Registration Act, 1908. The accused obtained 84 sale deeds on their names and obtained 72 GPAs under the name of the former minster’s associates. The CID said these illegal transactions were declined by the then sub-registrar of Mangalagiri, Arduru Gopal, but intense pressure was brought on the officer to facilitate the registration of the sale deeds. “Some other accused and their associates purchased assigned lands to the tune of 79.475 acres and obtained 76 sale deeds from farmers and submitted them at the Mangalagiri sub-registrar office,” the CID said.