HYDERABAD: Continuing its investigation into the allegations of illegal transfer of Bhoodan land, the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday questioned former RDO and DRO Venkata Chari.
ED sources revealed that the sleuths questioned Venkata Chari regarding changes made to the land records and the basis for the changes in an attempt to identify the mastermind behind the alleged fraud. The sources disclosed that the officials questioned him about who instructed him to change the land records in Dharani portal and asked if money transactions were done behind the scene.
The agency had in the last week of October questioned former Rangareddy collector and IAS officer D Amoy Kumar regarding the transfer of Bhoodan land to verify if any money was laundered.
ED sources revealed that Amoy Kumar’s questioning too had centred around the haste with which the transfer process was done. The line of questioning was to get the senior officer to reveal who was the person pulling the strings behind the land transfer and who was the ultimate beneficiary, as well as the amount involved in the entire episode.
The ED is investigating the case based on an FIR registered by the Maheshwaram police.
Meanwhile, ED sleuths questioned Malla Reddy Medical College Administrative officer Surender Reddy in connection with collection of cash for management quota seats. Former minister and BRS MLA Ch Malla Reddy runs the college. The agency had last year conducted raids at the residences of Malla Reddy and his relatives and the college premises too.
The ED questioned Surendar Reddy regarding the seats allegedly sold under management quota and examined bank statements and college records.
The sources alleged that the money collected from the students was diverted to real estate business.
The ED had seized Rs 1.4 crore in cash during its earlier raids and had frozen Rs 2.89 crore in the bank accounts of the college.