HYDERABAD: In a stunning revelation, among the wealth amassed through allegedly illegal means by former Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) director Shiva Balakrishna were expensive watches, cars, jewellery, laptops and mobile phones apart from real estate. The former official was arrested on January 25 by the ACB in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Balakrishna, who held key positions as MAUD director, chief general manager of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited and secretary, TS RERA, allegedly amassed wealth during his 12-year tenure far exceeding his known sources of income.
The ACB officials conducted searches at his residence in Puppalaguda on Wednesday and Thursday before arresting him. The ACB teams are working on filing a petition for custody of Balakrishna who is in judicial custody. According to the case diary filed by the ACB, the total value of his assets was Rs 4.9 crore. This includes apartments, open plots, and office spaces registered in his name as well as his wife’s and benamis. The ACB also conducted raids at his brother’s residence in Chaitanya Nagar of Korremulla and Himayatnagar, Sai Sandeep Infra Projects in Banjara Hills and Quorizon Spaces in RK Puram. Police identified plots and houses in the name of his wife and binamis worth Rs 4,99,46,272.
Among the cars owned by Balakrishna were Honda City, Hyundai Creta, Tata Nexon EV and a scooty all worth Rs 51 lakh. The total value of the jewellery the ACB unearthed during the raids was Rs 44,99,205. Top brand watches he allegedly acquired included Rolex, Fossil, Tissot, Movado, Tommy Hilfiger, Rado and Armani worth a staggering Rs 32 lakh. His collection of 31 iPhones and tabs was valued at Rs 15 lakh, according to the case diary. In addition to these, Balakrishna was allegedly found to have 20 LIC policies, household articles worth Rs 8,54,490. Balakrishna and his family members were found to have a bank balance of Rs 58,20,720.
The ACB sleuths allegedly found Rs 84,60,850 in cash in his house. Balakrishna joined service as an assistant director in the Town Planning department in 1994 in Anantapur. In 1997, he was transferred to MA&UD, Secretariat, Hyderabad and worked till 1998 and was later transferred to Guntur Municipal Corporation in 2000. He was again transferred to Hyderabad as deputy joint director in the planning department. From 2007 to 2011, he worked as Additional Chief City Planner in GHMC. Later he was posted as GM, Metro Rail from 2011 to 2012, Vizag City Planner from 2012 to 2014 and from 2014 to 2021, he was director for planning in HMDA. From 2023 July onward, he worked as a planning officer at Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited.