TRS leader accused of encroaching land

Hyderabad: A Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) councillor from Dundigal municipality has allegedly been trying to encroach not only government land but also adjacent lands belonging to private persons who are in possession of the land for decades.

The councillor from Ward 14 Tudum Padma Rao levelled the land and even constructed a compound wall in survey number131. Interestingly, when this newspaper sought his reaction on the alleged encroachment, he said he had been carrying out the activity in government land and it had nothing to do with private lands.

Asked how he can encroach government land and construct a compound wall, he said he was only trying to protect the government land along with local tahsildar and deputy tahsildar, municipal staff and the police. But, inquiries revealed that the construction indeed was being carried out on private land also.

The government allotted about nine acres of land to landless persons belonging to Scheduled Castes through Lavoni pattas under the Telangana Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act. “We bought the land from original pattadars in 1997 through proper registration and are in possession of the land till date,” said Vinod Kakani, whose plots were encroached.

The then tahsildar of Medchal taluk issued patta certificates for one acre each in survey number 131 from the total 9 acres and 26 guntas land located at Bahadurpally of Qutbullahpur mandal, which now comes under Gandimaisamma-Dundigal mandal.

Vinod's family members purchased the same property by executing a registered sale deed in 1997 by original pattadars and their legal heirs. However, when the local revenue officials tried to annul the transaction, the land owners approached the court and got stay orders against eviction. “There is a provision in the law according to which the transfer of assigned land may be approved if the buyer also belonged to Scheduled Castes,” said Vinod adding that they had been requesting the revenue authorities to regularise their ownership.

When the revenue authorities did not act on their representation, the land owners approached the High Court which asked the former to consider their case and take necessary action on which the local revenue authorities did not act. “Meanwhile, Padma Rao encroached on my property and he is refusing to vacate it," alleged Vinod.

He said when they objected to Padma Rao constructing a compound wall in his property, the latter threatened him with dire consequences. "On November 13, we lodged a complaint with the Dundigal police stating that we are the original owners of the land and have registered sale deeds. The High Court also gave orders in favour of us. However, the revenue officials deliberately violated rules and are asking us to vacate the property," alleged Vinod.