ACB raid at Kamareddy Municipality exposes Rs 1 crore trade licence dues, lack of action against illegal constructions

Kamareddy: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted a surprise inspection at the office of the Municipal Commissioner of Kamareddy Municipality on Monday and uncovered several administrative and financial irregularities during the verification of records and functioning of the office.

Officials of the ACB’s ACB Nizamabad Range carried out the inspection following credible information about alleged lapses in the municipal administration.

Discrepancies include delays and irregularities

During the check, the team examined files, financial transactions, pending applications and overall functioning of the office.

According to ACB officials, several discrepancies were identified, including delays in acting against unauthorised constructions, irregularities in property tax assessments and lapses in maintaining official records.

The list of discrepancies includes:

1. No action on unauthorised constructions

The inspection revealed that during 2025 and 2026, the municipal office received 47 complaints regarding unauthorised constructions. Though notices were issued in most cases, officials reportedly failed to take further action even after the stipulated period had expired.

2. Trade licence renewals pending

ACB officials also found that over 400 commercial establishments had not renewed their trade licences for the financial year 2025–26, resulting in pending dues of nearly Rs 1 crore to the municipality.

3. Irregularities in property tax assessment

During field verification, the ACB inspector noticed variations in property tax assessments, which officials said could potentially lead to significant financial losses to the government.

4. Fuel expenditure records under scrutiny

The municipal office reportedly allocated around Rs 12.40 lakh per month towards fuel charges for official use by municipal staff.

However, ACB officials found no proper records maintained for this expenditure, and the matter is now under detailed verification.

5. Discrepancies in outsourcing staff attendance

Another irregularity surfaced in the attendance and salary records of outsourcing employees.

While some staff were marked absent for certain days in the attendance register, salary records indicated that full-month payments had been claimed, raising suspicion of discrepancies.

6. Delay in building permission approvals

The ACB also noted delays in processing building permission applications. From December 2025 to date, 169 applications were received, of which 18 applications exceeded the prescribed 21-day processing period, indicating delays in decision-making.

Public asked to report bribery

ACB officials said a detailed report on the findings would be submitted to the government, recommending appropriate action against the concerned municipal officials.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has urged citizens to report any demand for bribes by public servants by calling the toll-free helpline 1064. Complaints can also be sent through WhatsApp (9440446106) or through the bureau’s official social media platforms.

Officials assured that the identity of complainants would be kept strictly confidential.