GHMC official defamed over demolition

Hyderabad: Unidentified persons in Malkajgiri division have distributed and pasted pamphlets on public walls, accusing GHMC’s assistant city planner B. Narsing Rao, of corruption. The leaflet claimed that the officer had acquired a number of properties illegally and had amassed disproportionate wealth. 

Mr Narsing Rao said he suspected the hand of an advocate L. Radha Krishna whose house he had demolished and has asked the police to investigate.

The pamphlet written in Telugu alleges that Mr Rao has properties worth Rs 100 crore, and takes bribes for every construction. The allegations were circulated on social media too and even at the GHMC’s divisional office. The officer himself received the leaflet sent by courier.

Mr Narsing Rao’s version is that a complaint had been filed against Mr Radha Krishna, “as he was renovating his flat unauthorisedly, disturbing the water and drainage pipeline, causing leakages on the third floor, which was damaging the stability of the structure.”

He was also accused of extending his shop shutter to the road margin in deviation of the sanctioned plan, creating inconvenience to flat owners of Sai Karthik Apart-ments in West Chandr-agiri colony.

“Based on High Court’s order, demolition was carried out after he refused to dismantle it himself. The day after the demolition, I received a threatening call from Mr Krishna stating that he would file a complaint with the Anti Corruption Bureau,” Mr Rao said.

Mr Krishna, however, alleged that he was a victim of Mr Narsing Rao’s “corrupt practices”. “The officer has caused '15 lakh damage to my property. I have paid property tax regularly and have a copy of the building permission. I have shown my documents to the officer but despite that the demolition was carried out.  The Malkajgiri police is investigating the complaint.