Land grabbing case: What did ED find from raids against YSRCP Ex Vizag MP MVV Satyanarayana

Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on October 19, carried out searches against MVV Satyanarayana at five different locations, in connection with an investigation regarding the fraudulent alienation of 12.51 acres, having a market value of more than Rs 200 crores, allotted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the housing for old-age people and orphans.

Satyanarayana was a YSRCP MP from 2019 to 2024. He unsuccessfully contested the Andhra Pradesh assembly polls earlier this year from the Visakhapatnam East seat.

The federal agency conducted searches against the former legislator and an auditor, Gannamaneni Venkateswara Rao, on October 19 at five locations in Visakhapatnam.

Allegations are against Gadde Brahmaji, Gannamaneni Venkateswara Rao and MVV Satyanarayana for forging signatures, fabricating sale documents and coercion to grab the 12.51 acres.

What did the investigation reveal?

The ED investigation revealed that 12.51 acres in Yendana village, Visakhapatnam, was allotted by the AP Government in 2008 to Hayagreeva Farms and Developers, Visakhapatnam, for the construction of cottages for old-age people and orphans.

The said land was registered in the name of Hayagreeva Farms & Developers in 2010 on payment of Rs 5.63 crores (approx.). However, as per records of the Andhra Pradesh Registration & Stamps Department, the market value of the said property as of the date of the conveyance deed was around Rs 30.25 crores.

Further, investigation revealed that after the accused fraudulently acquired the ownership of the land, it was divided into small plots and alienated from 2021 onwards via means of registered agreements of sale and sale deeds to various persons thereby generating Proceeds of Crime of more than Rs 150 crores.

Searches found more than 300 sale deeds of immovable properties acquired in the name of Gannamaneni Venkateswara Rao, MVV Satyanarayana and their family members; cash transactions of more than Rs 50 crores in the acquisition of immovable properties.

The complainant in the case said in the June 22 police FIR that once the land was allotted to him, he engaged Rao, who in turn, introduced him to Satyanarayana and Brahmaji for developing the government-mandated project on it.

A MoU was signed among them in 2020 but the complainant alleged that his and his wife's signatures were "fabricated" by the accused and they had made them sign blank papers leading to "misappropriation" of the documents.

He told police this was a "criminal conspiracy" to "grab" his land and the accused had "threatened" them with dire consequences.