Land scam: Andhra Pradesh CID files third charge sheet against TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu

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Land illegally acquired

According to the CID, a clandestine collaboration unfolded among the then-chief minister Naidu, the erstwhile Minister of Urban Development P Narayana, various ministers, and their benamis, intended to wrest control of assigned lands in the Capital City Area from the marginalised SCs, STs, and BCs.

They allegedly instilled fear within these communities, convincing them that the government would confiscate their assigned lands through the Land Pooling Scheme without compensation, and thus coercing them to sell at lower prices.

The CID asserts that these ministers then applied pressure on government officials to issue GO 41, exploiting the benefits of the Land Pooling Scheme specifically for assigned lands in villages like Mandadam, Velagapudi, Rayapudi, Uddandarayunipalem, etc.

On 1 January, 2015, the then-TDP government rolled out the Land Pooling Scheme and Rules to acquire land for the proposed capital city Amaravati. A year later, on 17 February, 2016, GO 41 was issued, permitting the purchase and sale transactions of assigned lands, originally prohibited by the AP Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act, 1977.

Despite explicit legal advice from the then-Advocate General, the accused ministers deliberately and in a coordinated manner violated legal mandates, the CID claims.

As part of their plan, the ministers allegedly enlisted their family members as benamis, purchasing assigned lands from poor individuals. Subsequently, they pressured Sub-Registrar officers to allow registrations and GPAs (General Power of Attorney) on lands in the prohibited list, as revealed in statements recorded under Section 164 of the CrCP before the Magistrate.

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The alleged tampering

The CID claimes to have clear evidence of a fund flow of about ₹16.5 crore from educational societies and companies operated by the family members of Ponguru Narayana to Ramakrishna Housing Pvt Limited and other real estate middlemen. These middlemen, in turn, paid farmers of assigned lands and arranged illegal sale agreements in the names of P Narayana’s benamis.

The CID further contends that Narayana has unlawfully acquired nearly 162 acres of assigned lands for himself. Other politically affiliated associates of Chandrababu Naidu and Narayana also acquired assigned lands totalling hundreds of acres in the capital city area.

In an investigation, the Revenue Department officials in Guntur district compared the details of land ownership or possession of assigned lands in the 2014 revenue records with the details of individuals who submitted claims for benefits under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) to the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA).

It further revealed anomalies covering 945.82 acres with a total of 1,336 individuals. Instances were unearthed where the land was in the possession of “X” as per the 2014 revenue records, while “Y” submitted a claim for benefits under the LPS scheme.

Kommareddy Brahmananda Reddy, a realtor involved in agreements on the assigned lands, has approached the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) court, seeking to be considered a “prosecution witness” (approver). The ACB court is currently examining his petition.

(Edited by Kamna Revanoor)