Based on prima facie evidence, the CID in Andhra Pradesh has asked the Enforcement Directorate to begin probe into the alleged insider land dealings while the boundaries of the state capital Amaravati, were being drawn up in 2015. The CID has also requested the Income Tax department to look into land dealings considered suspicious.
The CID says the definition of the capital area boundary was done in such a way that it benefited a few holding lands on the fringe.
The CID was inquiring into the fraudulent sale of lands based on a complaint by one P Bijju, a resident of Venkatapalem village in Guntur. The Dalit woman had complained that she was forced to sell her 90 cents of assigned land at a low rate to P Narayana, the TDP leader and former minister in 2015. Bujji claims she was made to sign on blank papers in the presence of Rao and was paid Rs 20 lakh in the process.
In December 2016, the land got registered with the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) and became a part of Amaravati. Bujji was to register the plot to Narayana in 2017 but decided not to after she realised that the Rs 20 lakh and an additional Rs 4 lakh paid to her was way below market rates.
The Additional Director-General of Police (CID) PV Sunil Kumar, after the investigation, has requested the Enforcement Directorate in Chennai and also the Income Tax department to examine the evidence, reported The Hindu.
The CID has identified irregularities in Guntur district involving 2,280 acres of land and 1,790 acres of land in Krishna district.
The CID found that a large number of cash transactions and several land registrations were done before Amaravati was declared a state capital.
During the investigation, it was found that around 797 white ration card holders had purchased 761.34 acres of land worth Rs 276 crore. Among these, barely 273 even had PAN cards, reported TNIE. The CID has already booked cases against TDP leaders and former ministers, P Narayana and Pratipati Pulla Rao.
The CID, in their letter to the Income Tax department, pointed out that many of these white ration card holders who made large cash transactions in Amaravati had not declared their income tax and were possible tax evaders. A list with details of suspicious land transactions has also been submitted to aid the Income Tax department.