Ponguleti Orders Code Audit of Dharani Portal

Hyderabad: Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has ordered a comprehensive code audit of the Dharani portal to detect irregularities allegedly committed during the previous BRS regime. He warned that strict action would be taken against those responsible.

Chairing a review meeting with senior revenue officials and members of a high-level inquiry committee at the Secretariat on Wednesday, the minister said the affairs of the portal were akin to “pulling a thread and seeing the entire knot unravel,” indicating deep-rooted systemic issues. He alleged that a system originally designed to safeguard people’s properties had been misused by influential persons in the past government for vested interests.

The high-level committee probing irregularities related to the alleged siphoning of stamp duty and registration charges by exploiting loopholes in Dharani has unearthed several findings. Ponguleti clarified that the lapses were not mere technical glitches but deliberately created flaws.

Preliminary findings revealed that deficiencies identified during an earlier security audit were not rectified, though reports claimed otherwise. The portal was allegedly designed to enable human interference and manipulation. Suspicious land transaction data was made inaccessible, certain logins were deleted, and confidential login details were found missing.

The minister said information relating to land transactions conducted in violation of norms had been rendered unavailable, and a code audit was not undertaken as part of the earlier forensic audit. He noted that issues had arisen after entrusting maintenance of the portal to a foreign firm, Terrasis.

Referring to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s instructions, Ponguleti said the government would act firmly against those who misappropriated stamp duty and registration charges. “No one who has committed wrongdoing will be spared. Every rupee due to the government will be recovered,” he asserted.

He directed officials to conduct a detailed code audit immediately and ensure that lapses do not recur. He instructed that the Bhu Bharati portal, which replaced Dharani, be developed in a transparent, people-friendly manner, eliminating scope for manipulation.

Reiterating that there would be no compromise on protecting land rights, Ponguleti said every irregularity committed in the name of Dharani would be exposed. He also directed officials to extend forensic audits to other districts, on the lines of those conducted in Siricilla and Siddipet.

Revenue secretary Lokesh Kumar, CCLA project director Manda Makarand, Stamps and Registration IG Rajeev Gandhi Hanumanthu, DIG Subhash, ACB joint director Sindhu Sharma, Cyber Crime DSP A. Sampath and Home Department adviser P. Sharath Kumar were present at the meeting.