VISAKHAPATNAM: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Vizag land scam on Wednesday conducted raids on the houses of political leaders, former document writers and revenue officials in and around Madhurawada village and searched for evidence pertaining to tampering of land records and encroachment issues. The teams took TDP leader and former GVMC corporator (Fourth Ward) Manyala Sombabu into custody and shifted him to the SIT office at YRCP guesthouse for questioning.
SIT officials lodged a complaint against M Sombabu under the Land Grabbing Act at Dwarakanagar Police station and a case was booked related to allegations in VUDA-Ozone Valley land pooling scam and other irregularities. Already, another TDP local leader G Sanyasi Rao have been questioned by the SIT officials related to land scams reported from Madhurawada area.
Some seven teams comprising police and revenue officials of the SIT conducted raids at Marikavalasa, Paradesipalem, Kommadi, Madhurawada-Aditya Nagar and Midhilapuri-Vuda Park, among others under supervision of SIT ACP Ramachandra Rao, CIs Satya Rao and Tirupati Rao.
They seized many documents and papers related to various alleged land irregularities from the houses of some former village revenue staffers including Karanams, Munsifs and document writers. Raid were conducted on houses of Srinivasa Rao, son of former Karnam V Venkata Ramana. The officials also searched the houses of kin of Kommadi Karanam Nodagala Pothuraju and two document writers. “We are preparing ground to get hold of some some real estate traders in connection with tampering of land records and encroachment of government land,” sources close to SIT investigations told Express.
Search ops
Records seized from houses of former Karnams, Munsifs and revenue document writer
Seven teams took part in the search conducted in Marikavalasa, Paradesipalem, Kommadi, Madhurawada- Aditya Nagar, Midhilapuri-Vuda Park etc
Ex-MLA submits ownership evidences to SIT officials
Former MLA Tippala Gurumoorthy Reddy on Wednesday met joint collector and SIT member G Srijana on Wednesday and submitted documents, claiming his ownership rights on a site in Madhurawada. The SIT team conducted a survey there a few days ago. “I have never encorached anybody’s land or tampered with the land records,” the ex-MLA said.