Andhra govt seeks CBI probe into Amaravati capital plan

The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government had constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee last year to probe the matter.

“The Cabinet Sub-Committee, after verifying government records, conclusively opined in its report submitted on December 12 last year, that public servants at the head of affairs in the erstwhile government misused and abused their official position to pre-determine the location of the new capital and subsequently purchased lands to unjustly and illegally benefit their associates, their companies and businesses, family members and/or political party members. The boundaries of the capital and its infrastructure were designed and modified to suit their personal interests. Further, the said officials in violation of their oaths, revealed the privileged information about capital city location to their associates,’’ an official said.

The report also said that the Cabinet Sub-Committee had found several irregularities and illegalities with respect to procedure followed by the erstwhile government in acquiring lands and offences committed by dispossessing landless poor of assigned lands. These transactions, the report said, were penal offences under the IPC, the Prevention of Corruption Act, The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act and Prevention of Money laundering Act.

“Owing to the high profile nature of the accused involved and the need to carry out investigation in other states and abroad, it was felt that this is a fit subject to be investigated by a national agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation. Hence, a reference and the report of the Cabinet sub-committee were forwarded to the Ministry of DoPT, with a request for CBI to take up investigation,’’ an official said.