CID Arrests Two in Madanapalle RDO Files Burning Incident

 Tirupati: The CID on Wednesday arrested two accused in the Madanapalle Revenue Divisional Office fire case. The accused, Madhava Reddy (A3) and Muni Tukaram (A4), were taken into custody at the Panapakam toll plaza in Chandragiri mandal.

Official sources said they were shifted to the CID office in Tirupati for elaborate questioning. The arrests followed the rejection of their bail pleas by the Supreme Court.

The case pertains to the fire on July 21, 2024, at the Madanapalle RDO, in which over 2,400 land-related files were destroyed. These included records relating to assigned lands, lands under the 22-A category, and mutation files.

Investigators suspect that the fire was a deliberate act aimed at destroying evidence of alleged irregularities. Preliminary inquiries have pointed to the involvement of former RDOs, MS Murali and C Hari Prasad, and senior assistant Gautam Tej Naidu Gorantla. The conspiracy involved forgery and corruption.

According to investigators, about seven litres of engine oil stored in the office were used to accelerate the blaze. Investigators have ruled out a short circuit and flagged administrative lapses.

Following the incident, the state government suspended the two former RDOs and the senior assistant. Murali was later arrested and released on bail, while Gautam Tej spent several months in custody before securing bail.

The investigation has also examined the possible role of political intermediaries, including Tukaram and Madhava Reddy. Tukaram, a personal assistant to former minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, is said to have left for the US soon after the incident and remained untraceable for several months.

Madhava Reddy, a close associate of the former minister, had been earlier detained by the CB-CID, but a court declined to grant remand citing insufficient evidence.