AP orders CBI probe into Amaravati land scam

HYDERABAD: The cabinet sub-committee report on allegations of irregularities involving top TDP leaders is back in focus with Andhra Pradesh government handing over the Amaravati land scam probe to CBI.
The government while issuing a GO of handing over the case to CBI highlighted the irregularities committed by persons officiating in the erstwhile government of AP while designating the new capital area, which were reported by the cabinet sub-committee.
The report alleged that former AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Heritage Foods Private Ltd had purchased 14 acres (11 sale deed transactions) in Kantheru in Tadikonda of Guntur. It claimed that purchases were made through intermediaries like Lingamaneni Ramesh and Lingameni Rajashekar who obtained general power of attorney from the owners of the land in 2014.
The report also alleged that Lingamaneni group, which had a large land bank, gained immensely owing to the designing of the capital area in such a way that the boundary area of the core capital ended in the villages just adjacent to the villages where they had the lands. These lands also did not fall under the land pooling scheme zone.
The inner ring road was designed in such a manner that it passed only a few metres away from the lands of the LEPL Projects, it said and also mentioned that Naidu was provided a rent-free accommodation in the two-storeyed building at Undavalli on the banks of river Krishna.
CID had booked two cases in connection with Amaravati land scam. The same was also handed over to CBI. CID in the investigation said an examination of former sub-registrars had led to the unearthing of modus operandi of illegal transfer of assigned lands of low-income families in CRDA to some persons in power.
It is estimated that an extent of 500 acres of assigned land worth Rs 500 crore was acquired from SC and ST farmers at cheap rates.
M Sambasiva Rao, president of Heritage Foods, however, denied these charges. “We are pained to see repeated allegations made against Heritage Foods. The land acquired by Heritage Foods in Guntur district during 2014 is not located in any of the 29 villages of Amaravati. An extent of 14 acres was purchased in Kantheru during July and August 204 for setting up a dairy factory,” he said.
He further said this land is located 20 km away from the capital in Guntur. “Sale registration of part of the land in 4.5 acres was cancelled during October 2014 over a dispute. The company now holds 9.6 acres in Kantheru,” he said.
Rao said if the land purchase was based on internal trading as alleged, “we could have purchased in any of the 29 villages of Amaravati capital itself and not in Kantheru, which is located away from the capital. “The acquisition of the land is for business expansion and not for trading,” he said.
Heritage Foods had also purchased land during 2014 in different states. “Heritage Foods is operating in 14 states, and is a public listed compan,” he added.