VISAKHAPATNAM: In the latest development in the irregularities in allocation of surplus ceiling land case, Visakhapatnam Urban revenue divisional officer S Venkateswarlu has been suspended. The tainted official was surrendered to the government earlier after evidence of abusing his official position for favouring private parties was surfaced.
While surrendering him to the government, collector Pravin Kumar recommended the suspension of the RDO and revenue department principal secretary Manmohan Singh issued the suspension order on Wednesday late evening. He also ordered an inter-departmental probe on the allegations made against the RDO regarding the judgements he had delivered related to allocation of surplus land as per the land reform and the record of rights (ROR) norms.
According to sources, Venkateswarlu has delivered around 60 orders and judgments in the capacity of Revenue Divisional Magistrate since March 2015. The district officials have found fault with eight orders dealing with the ceiling surplus land issues and related disputes. According to sources, the officials concluded that 45 acres of government land had gone into the hands of private parties owing to the judgements given by the RDO.
As per the AP Land Ceiling Act rules, alternate allocation of lands should be allowed only in the same mandal limit. But, in the case of Vemualavalasa surplus land case which was heard by the RDO, private persons were allowed to take possession of lands in another mandal.
Anatomy of land disputes
RDO Venkateswarlu has issued 60 orders on various land disputes since 2015. Nine orders have been found to be illegal 50 orders related to pattadar passbooks and the rest involving the Inaam lands. Irregularities came to light after the RDO issued orders in favour of private parties in a dispute on surplus land of 11.24 acres in Jan