After Naidu, AP CID issues notice to TD ex-minister Narayana and YSRC MLA Ramakrishna
VIJAYAWADA: After N. Chandrababu Naidu, it was the turn of former Telugu Desam minister Ponguru Narayana to receive notice from the AP crime investigation department (CID) in the Amaravati assigned lands scam, on Wednesday.
Simultaneously, the CID also issued notice to YSR Congress MLA of Mangalagiri Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, under section 160 CrPC, to report to it for inquiry at the CID regional office here on Thursday. It was based on his complaint that it issued notices to TD leader Chandrababu Naidu and ex-minister Ponguru Narayana to face investigations.
CID officials knocked at Narayana's house in Hyderabad on Tuesday, but he was unavailable. They handed over the notice to his wife Rama Devi. The notice stated that Narayana was A-2 (second accused) in the Amaravati assigned lands scam and should appear at the CID office in Vijayawada at 11 am on March 22 for an inquiry. CID officials also conducted searches on the residence of Narayana and his educational institutions at Nellore and other places.
The CID said it has registered cases under Section 120 B (conspiracy) and Sections 166, 167 and 217 of the IPC, read with Prohibition of Assigned Lands Alienation Act of 1977 and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and issued notices to Narayana.
The TD leader's name was marked as A2. The notice stated that legal action would be taken if he did not attend the CID hearing.
Narayana played an important role in organising the lands for the Amaravati capital city project under land pooling scheme (LPS), in his capacity as vice-chairman of APCRDA. The then chief minister Chandrababu Naidu was chairman of APCRDA.
According to the reports, 444 acres of assigned lands changed hands. Of these, 338.8 acres were grabbed by TD men at throwaway prices. Later, the TD government issued orders granting relaxation of norms to offer the assigned lands to APCRDA, under LPS in lieu of a package of annuity, involving both residential and commercial plots.
After the YSRC government took charge in 2019, it appointed a cabinet sub-committee to go into the land deals. In its report to the government later, the committee exposed a big scam in the assigned lands of Amaravati.
Now, the CID, after receiving a complaint from YSRC Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, issued notices to Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday and Narayana on Wednesday.
According to sources, both Naidu and Narayana were consulting legal experts to approach courts against the CID notices.
RAIDS: The CID conducted searches at the Narayana educational institutions, as also the offices and residence of the former minister. Cops did not allow anyone into the home during the searches, which were conducted simultaneously at Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Nellore.
NOTICE TO YSRC MLA: The CID called the complainant Ramakrishna Reddy to come to it for an inquiry. The CID cyber cell DSP, A Lakshmi Narayana Rao, sent notice to Reddy based on his complaint on February 24, filed under sections of SCs & STs (prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989 & Section 7 of AP Assigned Land (Prohibition of Transfer) Act, 1977.
The case has been registered in CID Police Station, Mangalagiri and it is under investigation. The notice stated that the CID inquiry officer believes that the complainant is acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case. The notice further stated that Ramakrishna Reddy should appear in person at CID Regional Office, Vijayawada, for an examination of the facts and circumstances of the case without fail at 11am on Thursday.
