Vijayawada: While the district administration has started sending notices to the accused in Kanuru land scam, the episode has experienced a new twist. Some villagers have informed the officials that records and documents pertaining to this land were burnt during Ranga riots in 1988. The missing of around 3 acres 26 cents assigned land from the records of Penamaluru tahsildar’s office and several transactions of sales and purchases on the same land, have prompted the revenue administration to probe deeply into the episode. Some of the accused have shown their reluctance to take the notices. So far, 12 persons were given notices and a former sarpanch reportedly refused to take the notices.
Speaking on the issue, RDO S. Hareesh told this correspondent that under Prevention of Transfer (POT) Act-1977, notices have been served to the accused in the land scam case. “After serving notices second time, within a stipulated time, the inquiry will be conducted in tahsildar court,” the RDO said, and added that in case of anybody feels they are not given proper justice, they can approach the RDO Court.
In fact, on July 2, Penamaluru tahsildar V. Muralikrishna also stated that he has submitted a report on the issue to the collector in which he has stated that there was no controversy or dispute over the Kanuru lands issue. “We have records of the assigned lands from 1970 and 1980, and also the transactions details,” the tahsildar clarified and added that aggrieved party could approach the proper platform, and added that he has written to the Patamata Sub-Registrar Office (SRO), to get the records from 1930.
The tahsildar has no answer as to how the assigned lands were sold out to a private party — Siddartha Academy, some three decades ago. The lands situated between Autonagar to Kanuru Road, near Siddartha Adarsh Resi-dential School, and were given to Dalits before Independence, as per available records. However, the tampered documents say that in 1987, those lands were registered in the names of a few people. The issue led to political unrest in Kanuru village, as the lands are on high demand, keeping in view the happening of the Capital Amaravati.
