Amaravati land scam: TDP leader P Narayana's 5 frontmen held; 1100 acres swindled

Vijayawada: Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested five associates of TDP leader and former minister Ponguru Narayana in connection with the purchase of assigned lands in Amaravati.

Those arrested include Kolli Sivaram and Gattem Venkatesh from Vijayawada. They were representing Ramakrishna Housing Private Limited. Besides, Chikkala Vijaya Saradhi, Bade Anjaneyulu, and Kotti Krishna Dora Babu were also arrested. All three hail from Vizag city. They were produced before the CID special court magistrate.

It may be recalled that the CID had registered a case based on the complaint of Yalamarti Prasad Kumar of Pedapalem village of Duggirala Mandal in Guntur district. Prasad Kumar in his complaint said a group of persons have betrayed the people of the SC community and purchased their assigned lands at throwaway prices through dubious means.

CID said that over 169 acres of land were involved in the particular case. CID officials said over 1,100 acres of assigned lands in Amaravati are suspected to have been swindled. The payment was made to the SC community through the bank accounts of Ramakrishna Housing Corporation Limited. CID officials said over Rs 15 crore worth of transactions were made by minister P Narayana and his family members through the Ramakrishna Housing Private Limited. The complainant said that these persons at the behest of the then minister for municipal administration and urban development created panic among the innocent SCs on land pooling for the capital city Amaravati. He said they have purchased the assigned lands from people belonging to SC at cheaper prices.

He also mentioned that the sub-registrar of Mangalagiri had refused to register the sale deed of these lands. However, it was alleged that the minister had used pressure on the sub-registrar and got the assigned lands registered.