CS Intervenes in Land Encroachment Row Involving YSRC Ex-MLA Ketireddy
The MROs have been asked to submit their explanations within 10 days.
Anantapur:The controversy involving land encroachments allegedly by former Dharmavaram MLA Ketireddy Venkatarami Reddy of YSRC has led to Chief Secretary K. Sai Prasad intervening into the matter.
Official sources said the CS has issued show-cause notices to two former mandal revenue officers (MROs) for allegedly filing incorrect reports regarding lands under the occupation of Venkatarami Reddy during the previous YSRC regime.
The MROs have been asked to submit their explanations within 10 days.
The issue pertains to allegations that Ketireddy encroached upon nearly 20 acres of land within the Dharmavaram Tank; that he went on to construct a farmhouse, a stable for horses, and boating facilities for his own use.
These charges had first come to public attention when Nara Lokesh, now the Education minister, had been on his Yuvagalam Padayatra prior to the 2024 elections.
Subsequently, Paramesh, a resident of Thumparthi village, went on to file a complaint with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Chennai, on the encroachment of the Dharmavaram Tank.
Subsequent inquiries revealed that the then tahsildar Yugeshwari Devi reportedly submitted a misleading report stating that Ketireddy’s farmhouse is located in Survey No. 661, whereas records indicate that the structure actually falls under Survey No. 904.
Investigations further indicated that the then tahsildar Neelakantha Reddy entered 2.42 acres of assigned land in the Webland records under the name of Gali Vasumathi, wife of Ketireddy’s younger brother, without properly verifying the official land records.
The Chief Secretary has taken a serious note of these discrepancies and issued show-cause notices to two officials over the encroachments.
Sources said any action against the ex-MLA is expected after explanations from the two officials are received.
