HYDERABAD: The state government is believed to contemplating ordering a forensic audit of suspected land transactions that were allegedly took place after Dharani portal, the integrated land revenue records system, was rolled out during the BRS regime.
The government reportedly gathered enough intelligence on suspected registrations that took place even at midnight during the previous regime.
According to sources privy to the matter, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy wants to wait till the completion of transfer of land database into the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Sources indicated that the transfer of information is likely to be completed by November end. With the intelligence it has gathered, the state government developed a hypothesis that there would be more such cases across the state and needs a comprehensive investigation.
“Since the land transactions were digital, there will be a record somewhere or other. All that you need is to do reverse engineering, and it is possible through forensic audit,” sources said.
The government is of the opinion that the forensic audit will “expose” loopholes and shortcomings of the online land records portal.
Recently, a former Rangareddy collector was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate over alleged irregular land transactions. The ED also questioned the former collector for allegedly favouring certain family members of former landowners, despite previous sale deeds and recorded plots.
When he was in opposition, Revanth Reddy demanded a forensic audit with accusations of gross irregularities flying thick in land transactions and administration. The Congress has used the issue of Dharani portal in its election campaigns with sharp criticism over the then BRS government.
The Dharani portal has become a point of contention for a majority of landlords as it was plagued with problems.