HYDERABAD: On the directions of DGP Dr Jitender, the Rachakonda police have begun re-investigating a case filed by the Maheshwaram police in FIR 83 of 2023, against then mandal revenue officer R.G. Jyoti with regard to alleged Bhoodan land deals at Nagaram of Rangareddy district.
The investigation comes on the heels of the Enforcement Directorate investigating former collector Amoy Kumar for alleged money-laundering.
Though the police had investigated the case in 2023, it is alleged that the case was not probed properly due to pressure from the previous BRS government.
ED officials had met the DGP on November 7 and sought re-investigation into the case. Dr Jitender instructed Rachakonda police commissioner G. Sudhir Babu to cooperate with the ED during its investigation. The Rachakonda police have since started the probe with an ACP rank officer as the investigation officer, police sources disclosed.
It is reported that the special teams visited Maheshwaram MRO office and gathered information on the records dating from 2022 and 2023 of the Nagaram Bhoodan land scam.
“After we approached the DGP, he instructed Rachakonda police commissioner to reopen the case and make the necessary amendments in the FIR (83 of 2023) by adding the relevant sections. There had to be a change in the investigating officer, as only an ACP rank officer could investigate the case,” an ED officer told Deccan Chronicle.
It may be recalled that on March 14, 2023, the Maheshwaram police had registered the FIR 83/2023 against Jyoti, the then MRO-cum-joint sub-registrar of Maheshwaram mandal, for allegedly supporting six accused in acquiring Bhoodan land and selling it to K. Sridhar Reddy, managing director of EIPL Constructions, and six others.
The land in question was 42 acres owned by the government worth hundreds of crores in Survey No. 181 of Nagaram village, Maheshwarm mandal in Rangareddy district.
Cases against Jyoti and Sridhar Reddy and the six others were registered under Sections 420 and 166 of the Indian Penal Code and 156(2) of the CrPC. The case was registered on the directions of the XVII Addl Metropolitan Magistrate following a complaint.
Besides the registration of the FIR, an inquiry into the case was initiated vide WP 37146/2022 by the Telangana High Court. The FIR mentioned Jyoti’s involvement in the alleged illegal sale and transfer of 95 acres of land, comprising 50 acres of Bhoodan land and 45 acres of ‘gairan’ land in Survey No. 181, Nagaram.
Based on the FIR, the ED questioned Jyoti who reportedly revealed the names of another MRO, Mohammed Mahamood Ali, and then collector Amoy Kumar.
