The Telangana High Court, hearing a petition alleging the role of several senior IAS and IPS officers and other high-ranking officials in the encroachment of Bhoodan lands in Survey No. 181, 182, 194 and 195 of Nagaram village in Maheshwaram mandal of Rangareddy district, expressed surprise. It took up the matter on Thursday for hearing on a petition filed seeking an order for a CBI and ED investigation into the matter.
It said that the lands in Nagaram village belong to the Bhoodan Board if the records are examined. In the wake of the allegations that senior officials are involved in the encroachment of Bhoodan lands, it has issued orders to the District Collector, Maheshwaram and LB Nagar Sub-Registrar to include them in the prohibited list as part of public property protection measures.
It has ruled that no transaction can be made to prevent these lands from being encroached upon. In the wake of allegations against the role of senior officials in this land deal, the registry has been ordered not to allow the petitioner to withdraw his petition. It said that interim orders are being issued to prevent those officials from misusing their power as part of measures to protect their interests.
It has reminded us that according to the Bhoodan and Gramdan Act, the Bhoodan lands given by donors have to be allocated to the poor for agriculture and house construction. It has been stated that these lands can be continued as inheritance. It has been decided that alienation is not allowed.
High Court Judge Justice CV Bhassar Reddy issued key orders to this effect. A local, Biddha Mallesh, filed a petition in the High Court, saying that action should be taken against irregularities in the Bhoodan lands in February and March, but to no avail. He requested that the CBI and ED be ordered to investigate the matter.
Senior advocate L Ravichander said that the land was purchased in their own name as well as in the names of their family members, contrary to the Bhoodan Act and the Telangana Bhoodan and Gramdan Rules-1965. He said that despite sending petitions to the Central Vigilance Commission in November last year and to the CMO office and the Principal Secretary to the Home Ministry on March 8 this year, no action has been taken.
