HYDERABAD: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials investigating the bribery case involving former Additional Collector of Medak, Gaddam Nagesh, are likely to serve notices on a few other revenue officials, included retired ones, summoning them for questioning.
The ACB had already questioned the five accused in the case, namely Nagesh, RDO Aruna Reddy, Tahsildar Sattar, Survey Records Junior Assistant Waseem and Nagesh’s benami Jeevan, at the time of arrest.
As per court’s directions, the sleuths took them into custody on Monday and interrogated them one by one, based on their call records and Nagesh’s benami documents.
It is learnt that the former Additional Collector used names of senior revenue officers to collect bribes from the complainant. The sleuths also questioned Nagesh about his conversation with the complainant, wherein he sought bribe in the form of immovable assets.
Nagesh was initially hesitant to answer questions, but later spilled the beans on the involvement of senior officials in the case, sources said.
Based on Nagesh’s confessional statements, the ACB would issue notices to a few senior revenue officials, asking them to appear before the agency for questioning.
Meanwhile, some of accused also confessed that they had followed orders of senior officers in issuing the NOC for land registration.
Retired collector in trouble?
MEDAK: With the five accused in the Medak bribery case in ACB custody again, revenue officials in the district are worried. As the ACB is investigating whether the corruption scandal is limited to the Collectorate and the Tahsildar’s Office, speculation is rife over the involvement of senior officials, including the retired Collector. There are reports of former Additional Collector G Nagesh naming retired Collector K Dharmareddy in the ACB remand report. It is learnt that a few irregularities pertaining to other land parcels would be looked into by the ACB. The ACB is also investigating the Additional Collector’s benami properties