Amaravati: Delay in corruption probe raises doubts

Amaravati: A senior officer who has been facing corruption allegations, has been continuing in a key position in Ongole sub-registrar Office in Prakasam district.

G S V Ahmed, a retired Army Medical Corps (AMC) staffer and founder of HIV/AIDS Patients Welfare Home lodged a complaint against T Narasimha Rao, senior assistant at Ongole sub-registrar office, alleging that the officer allowed illegal transaction involving a society land to benefit private persons when he was working as sub-registrar (In-charge) at Cumbum. The issue was brought to the notice of the Chief Minister's Office. Reacting to it, the CMO ordered the office of commissioner and inspector general of registration and stamps to inquire into the matter. Based on the orders, the commissioner and inspector general instructed Pamula Vijayalakshmi, deputy inspector general (R&S), Ongole to look into the issue and submit a report by February 15, 2020. But, the DIG did not submit the report to the office of commissioner and inspector general till date. When contacted, Vijayalakshmi said that she had completed the probe but could not send it to the higher authorities in view of Covid-19 situation and lockdown.

Expressing doubt on her narrative, the complainant, Ahmed, pointed out that the lockdown was imposed in March, but she was supposed to submit the report by February 15.

Further, Vijayalakshmi said no irregularities were found with regard to conduct of Narasimha Rao in the transaction and all the allegations lodged by Ahmed were proved irrelevant during the inquiry. She also added that the inquiry report would be sent to the higher-ups through a registered post, once the postal department resumes functioning near her office.

On the other hand, Ahmad informed that the inquiry officer did not sought his version as part the probe. He said that there was no action on the officer, who was facing various corruption allegations apart from this land issue. He added that Narasimha Rao was allowed to continue in a key post now in Ongole office, where he decides the market value of the lands.

Meanwhile, admitting that the society land was divided among the family members of one Konatham Veeraraghava Reddy, sub-registrar Narasimha Rao told The Hans India that the family had suppressed the fact and got the partition done. He explained that while processing the registration, they could see the previous transactions of the land in the Encumbrance Certificate for a period of 30 years only. As the land was donated and registered to the society for the public purpose in 1943 by one Sarabha Reddy, he was unable to trace it at the time of registration. Later, during the course of investigation, it was found that the land was registered in the name of the society, he added. At the same time, he maintained that he was not responsible as he had done his job in good faith and the onus would be on the people who got the property registered suppressing facts.