VIJAYAWADA: Days after a scam pertaining to fake land registration documents was unearthed in Prakasam, political heat generated due to the probe into the case has refused to die down. It has been learnt that the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on Friday summoned district Superintendent of police (SP) Malika Garg to enquire about the case and the evidence collected against those arrested.
Around 20 days ago, police had unravelled a major scam involving the creation of forged land registration documents by a gang. Subsequently, 12 people were arrested. According to sources, a few ruling YSRC leaders and their followers were among those arrested. Unhappy with the manner in which the case was being handled, former minister and Ongole MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy reportedly took up the issue with SP Garg and sought to know why some Opposition party leaders, who were also allegedly involved in the case, were let go.
The SP informed Balineni that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe the case, had arrested people involved in the scam after obtaining proper evidence. Suspecting that a former minister from the district was behind the arrest of his followers, Balineni surrendered his gunmen to the police department as a mark of protest. He also met officials of the CMO on Thursday and sought intervention of the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, during her meeting with the CMO officials, SP Garg reportedly elaborated on the evidence gathered by the SIT before making arrests. It has been learnt that the CMO has made it clear that the investigation would continue and those involved in the case would not be spared.