Dharani Probes Pile Up, but No Action Yet

The state government's decision to order yet another probe into irregularities in the Dharani land records portal during the previous BRS regime has raised questions over the delay in fixing responsibility, despite a forensic audit reportedly flagging more than 10,000 suspicious transactions.

Officials from the police, revenue and information technology departments are part of the Special Enquiry Team (SET) constituted to investigate the Dharani irregularities and will be headed by senior IPS officer Charu Sinha, ADGP (CID) and Director-General, ACB. The Telangana Cabinet ordered the fresh probe at its July 17 meeting.

No official orders have so far been issued so far specifying the timeframe for completing the inquiry, raising questions over the seriousness of the government in pursuing the matter.

The timing of the latest probe has also raised eyebrows as the forensic audit ordered earlier by the Congress government has identified over 10,000 suspicious transactions and submitted its latest report recently. Despite the findings, no action has been taken against any revenue official, BRS leader or agency.

After coming to power, the Congress took nearly one-and-a-half years to replace Dharani with the Bhu Bharati portal in April 2025. The government also took nearly a year to order a probe.

The forensic audit of Dharani transactions was ordered in December 2024 and entrusted to the Kerala Security Audit and Assurance Centre (KSAAC) in 2025. The audit began in May 2025, initially covering the Sircilla and Siddipet Assembly constituencies.

The agency submitted its first report in November 2025, following which the audit was extended to the entire state in December. Its latest report was submitted in early July.

The key question now is whether the latest SET probe will lead to concrete action against those responsible or become another addition to the series of inquiries into the Dharani controversy.

In an informal chat with media in Secretariat on Saturday, revenue minister Srinivas Reddy said the SET would conduct a fast-track probe into illegal mutations, transfers of government land and misuse of the Dharani portal. He asserted that those responsible for illegally occupying government or assigned lands would be brought to justice.

Srinivas Reddy said the investigation would cover the entire process, beginning with the Dharani tender and extending to Bhu Bharati. A forensic audit alone could not fully expose the irregularities, he said, making a comprehensive investigation by the SET essential, he said.