VIJAYAWADA: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested former minister Jogi Ramesh’s son Rajiv on charges of fraudulently tampering with land records, creating fake documents, and selling away AgriGold lands attached by the CID. A team of ACB 15 sleuths went to Rajiv’s residence at Ibrahimpatnam around 6 am, and took him into custody. Rajiv was later shifted to ACB headquarters at Gollapudi.
The ACB, in an official statement, said the Central Investigation Unit started an investigation following a report submitted by the Vijayawada city police on fraudulent sale of AgriGold lands. The Vijayawada police conducted the preliminary investigation into the allegations based on a complaint lodged by Avva Venkata Seshu Narayana of AgriGold Group.
During the probe, the ACB found that Rajiv and his family member Jogi Venkateswara Rao had purchased 2,160 square yards in Survey No. 88 of Ambapuram village in Vijayawada Rural mandal.
With the connivance of mandal surveyor A Ramesh and Ambapuram village surveyor K Dedeepya, they had obtained a report that the land is in Survey No. 87, which was attached by the CID, and got it registered on their name at the sub-registrar office in Nunna. The land was later sold away to P Subba Reddy, S Venkateswara Reddy and their family members, the ACB said.
The ACB further said during the questioning of witnesses, they found that the surveyors had issued certificates without conducting any survey, and based on these certificates, Rajiv and Venkateswara Rao grabbed the AgriGold land attached by the CID.
Rajiv named A1, Venkateswara Rao A2 in FIR
Rajiv and mandal surveyor A Ramesh were arrested and produced before court. They were remanded, the ACB said.
Rajiv was named as A1 in the case, while Jogi Venkateswara Rao was A2. Mandal surveyor Ramesh, village surveyor Dedeepya and the sub-registrars were also named as accused in the FIR.
The case was registered under Sections 120B and 420 of IPC, Sections 7 and 12 of the PC Act, and Section 4 of the AP Land Grabbing Act. The FIR was registered on August 8 based on an inquiry initiated by the Vijayawada West ACP. According to official sources, Jogi Ramesh’s role is also under scrutiny, and a case will be filed against him if his involvement is confirmed.