Nagaram Land: After Amoy Kumar, ED issues summons to RDO Venkata Chary

Hyderabad: As part of the investigation into 42 acres of land located in Nagaram, Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths here have issued a notice to former Nagaram revenue district officer, Venkata Chary.

Chary is the third officer to be issued summons by the ED after mandal revenue officer Jyothi and former district collector IAS Amoy Kumar. Chary has been asked to appear before the investigating agency on November 7.

The probe agency is also likely to question former joint collector S Harish and then chief commissioner for land administration (CCLA). The post of CCLA was earlier held by two senior bureaucrats: IAS Naveen Mithal and former chief secretary IAS Somesh Kumar.

Earlier, the ED questioned IAS Amoy Kumar in the case. However, so far, he has not been named as accused nor has his name featured in the FIR copy, which NewsMeter has obtained. Amoy Kumar served as the Medchal-Malkajgiri and Ranga Reddy collector and as the joint secretary to the government.

Currently, he is posted as the joint secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries (AHDD & F).

The case that brought the IAS officers under ED’s radar

The case involves complainant Dastagir Shareef (61) and Muzaffir Husain approaching the police regarding their alleged ownership of 42 acres of land in Nagaram Village, Maheshwaram Mandal, Rangareddy District.

In March 2023, an FIR was registered by Maheshwaram police, falling under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits, based on court orders.

According to the complainant, they (Dastagir and Muzaffir) purchased the property from Akber Ali Khan and Mohd. Farooq Ali Khan, who became owners of the property by an oral gift from the late Nawab Haji Khan.

The complainant said that, from 2021 till date, government employees Khaderunnisa (A1), Mohd Munawar Khan (A2), RP Jyothi (A3), Maheshwaram Mandal revenue officer/tahsildar/joint sub-registrar, Bobbili Dumodar Reddy (A4), Bobbili Viswunath Reddy (A5), N Santosh Kumar (A6) and Kondapally Sridhar Reddy (A7) planned to obtain the land illegally.

The complainant alleged that all seven planned a criminal conspiracy by issuing title deeds and registration of documents against his interests, which is abatement by a serving public servant. Based on a court direction, a case was registered (83/2023) in 2023.

‘Civil in nature’

In the final report submitted by the cops, it was found that the 42 acres in Nagaram village is Patta land and there is no government interest involved.

The final report stated that the dispute between the complainant and alleged respondents of the case appears to be ‘civil in nature’. Civil cases and writ petitions before the civil court and the Telangana High Court are pending between the parties for adjudication. In view of the civil nature of litigation between the parties, it is a case fit to be referred to as civil, the final report said.

As part of the investigation into the case, since IAS Amoy Kumar was the collector of Ranga Reddy at the time he was issued the summons.