Kurnool: Corruption rampant at sub-registrar offices

Kurnool (Alur): Sub-registrar offices across the district have become a haven for corruption. Despite the orders in force that no document writer should be allowed, they are seen very casually roaming in the offices. In fact, the document writers are said to be ruling the roost in sub-registrar offices across the district. The document writers are charging high amounts against the norms specified by the government and most documents are acting as benamis to sub-registrars.

According to sources, the district has 24 sub-registrar offices. On an average up to 1,000 registrations, like land, plot, house site, house or some others register in sub-register offices. The duty of writers is to prepare documents pertaining to the land, house site, house or some others. For the last two years, the government has stopped renewing licences of document writers. Though the licence was not renewed, the document writers used to contact the sub-registrar's directly and fix a rate to every document. They used to give the share to sub-registrar once the work was completed.

Recently, a document writer violating the government norms collecting more amount has come to light at Alur sub-registrar office. Shiva Kumar, a farmer and resident of Samatha Geri village in Holagunda mandal, has gone to the Alur sub-registrar office for registering his two-acre land. The document writer collected Rs 30,000 from him. According to government norms, 8 percent of registration fee to the actual land valuation has to be charged.

Shiva Kumar said the document writers Rayachoti and Prakash after colluding with the registrar office staff, have collected Rs 30,000 instead of Rs 16,000. He alleged that the documents writers were colluded with the sub-registrar and collecting exorbitant charges. Shiva Kumar urged the officials concerned to take stern action against the corrupt document writers.

Two months ago, the ACB sleuths conducted raids on the Alur sub-registrar office. During the raids, the sleuths seized unaccounted cash of Rs 70,000. At that time, the ACB sleuths filed a case with the sub-registrar. After the raids, the government deputed one Lalith Kumar as sub-registrar. When The Hans India tried to seek clarification over the unauthorised charging of the amount over the phone, he failed to respond to the call.