Former RR joint collector Bhoopal Reddy booked by ACB for disproportionate assets worth above Rs 5 crores

Hyderabad: The Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday registered a case of disproportionate assets (DA) against M Venkata Bhoopal Reddy, additional collector (Land Revenue) of Ranga Reddy District, over allegations of possessing assets vastly exceeding his known sources of income.

During the investigation, ACB authorities discovered assets deemed disproportionate to his legitimate earnings, valued at Rs 5,05,71,676 (over Rs 5 crores) and Rs 4,19,40,158 (over Rs 4 crores). The true market value is said to be significantly higher as the worth mentioned is based on recorded values.

Both mobile and immovable properties were discovered during searches at several places, including Reddy’s house and the houses of his close family members. To confirm the entire scope of the assets and their origins, the ACB stated that the inquiry is still underway.

On September 6, the principal judge for the trial of SPE and ACB cases granted bail for Bhoopal Reddy by executing a bond for Rs 1 lakh with two sureties. The court also ordered the accused official to appear before the ACB every Monday and Friday for six months or till the filing of the chargesheet whichever is earlier.

Case background

On August 13, ACB officials arrested Venkata Bhoopal Reddy, then joint collector of Ranga Reddy District, and senior assistant Y Madan Mohan Reddy, in a high-profile bribery case in which the duo were implicated in a corruption scam involving Telangana’s land records administration system, the Dharani portal.

At Gurramguda crossroads, Madan Mohan Reddy was apprehended collecting a bribe of Rs 8 lakhs from Jakkidi Muthyam Reddy, a local. According to reports, the money was requested to get 14 guntas of land taken off the Dharani portal’s banned list.

Upon recovering the bribe from the senior assistant’s vehicle, ACB officials discovered that Madan Mohan Reddy was representing joint collector Bhoopal Reddy. The involvement was confirmed by Madan over the phone. Bhoopal Reddy received the bribe in his official car at Peddamberpet ORR later that evening. Tests on the confiscated money by the ACB revealed that it contained phenolphthalein, proving the bribery exchange.

Allegations were made against both officials for abusing their official positions for private benefit. For their involvement in the bribery and disproportionate assets cases, they were later arrested and are being investigated. There will be more court cases likely as the ACB continues its investigation.