RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Three revenue officials were arrested for alleged irregularities in the payment of compensation for families that were displaced due to the Polavaram Project.
The trio and others allegedly created fake documents to certify ineligible people as farmers so as to award them the compensation amount, meant for tribal farmers who had been living in villages falling under the Polavaram project area, Gubbampet, Manturu and Burugugondi in Devipatnam mandal.
Village revenue officer Sattar Khan, revenue inspector Bapiraju and surveyor M Laxman Rao were arrested. Police sources said Devipatnam Tahsildar Veerraju had surrendered and was sent to judicial remand.
Police said irregularities in the payment of aid was reported at Kondamothalu in Devipatnam. Polavaram Project Officer Praveen Aditya and Sub-Collector Katta Simhachalam unearthed the scam and submitted a report to the State government on the same.
The revenue officials allegedly issued fake pattas and genuineness certificates to fake farmers instead of the actual beneficiaries.The farmers, who were deprived of the aid, lodged a complaint with the Rampachodavaram police.
Sources said that the police are questioning two land acquisition officers for their alleged role in the matter. Rampachodavaram ASP Krishnakanth Patel told The New Indian Express that the legal process was underway and more details would be divulged soon.