TS labour minister Malla Reddy, son booked in land-grabbing case

Hyderabad: The Cyberabad police have registered a case of criminal trespass and criminal intimidation against Telangana labour minister Ch. Malla Reddy, his son Bhadra Reddy, and others at Dundigal police station.

The police were acting on a complaint filed by Ponnaboina Shyamala Devi who stated that the minister had grabbed her land - measuring 20 guntas - located at Suraram.

Shyamala Devi, in her complaint, said her mother Ponnaboina Padmavathi is the pattadar of the 2.13 acres land in Suraram village. Since the land is located between two hospitals owned by the minister, she claimed he was threatening her to sell the land to him. When she refused to part with the land, Malla Reddy's men occupied 20 guntas of land, added it to the minister's land, and constructed a compound wall. Even after this, his men continued to threaten her, demanding she sell the land.

Meanwhile, Shyamala Devi approached an advocate, Laxmi Narayana, to file a suit against Malla Reddy. But the minister came to know of this and summoned the advocate and turned him in his favour. On Malla Reddy's instruction, the advocate collected signatures from Shyamala Devi, her mother and sister on stamp papers, saying that he had to file a petition in the court.

The documents signed by them landed in the hands of Malla Reddy who got fake agreement documents prepared that stated that they had sold the land to Gudur Masthan, the minister's hench man, for Rs. 8 lakhs.

"They frequently visit my home and threaten me with dire consequences. My mother and sister are dead and now I am alone, facing a threat to my life," Shyamala Devi said in her complaint.

Based on the woman's complaint, the Dundigal police falling under Cyberabad registered a case against Malla Reddy, his son Bhadra Reddy, advocate Laxmi Narayana, and others on 6 December. An investigation is underway.