Loan scam unearthed, East Godavari Collector orders inquiry

Amalapuram: A land scam, which has reportedly happened in Amalapuram Revenue Division, created sensation in the district. It cameto light recently. Some officials inTahsildar office, Sub-Registrar office allegedly played a key role in the scam.

A private bank had sanctioned a loan of Rs 1.50 crore on 53- acre of land which was non-existent. But it was shown as existent in the revenue record. The scam came into focus when the borrower Moturi Balarama Murthi of Uppalaguptam failedto pay monthly instalments for some months.

Suspecting something was amiss, the bank officials checked the webLand and found that 53-acre of land was non-existent and lodgeda complaint withRevenue Divisional Officer B Venkata Ramana, who, inturn, conducted an inquiry in Kamangaruvuvillage and found that it was fake record and seized the records and submitted a report to the District Collector.

Meanwhile, the borrower Moturi Balarama Murthi paid the remaining loan pf Rs 69 lakhto the bank when the scam came in light. Fake documents were created showing that in Kamanagaruvu village, a total of 33acre was available under survey number924/8 and 20 acres under survey number 972/5 in the name of MoturiChinnaTatayya Naidu and Moturi VenkataNarsamma, parents of loan borrower Balarama Murthi.

On April 10, 2018 Tahsildar Baby Gnanamba (presently working in the district Collectorate) issued necessary certificate to 53 acres of fake lands. Later, the borrower applied for EC in Sub-Registar office and immediately, the Sub-Registrar issued EC with number 37988255/2018 statingthat there are no loans on 53 acres of land from the year 1983.

He also completed mortgage registration of the land and the borrower paid a stamp duty of Rs 90,000 alsoand the Balarama Murthi applied for loan and the bank officials sanctioned loan to him on the land which wasshown as security.

It was alleged that Moturi Balarama Murthi of Uppalaguptam along with Kamanagaruvu village Revenue Speaking to The Hans India, District Collector D Muraliadhar Reddy said the District Revenue Officer was directed to look into the matter and asked to verify the role of the then Tahsildar Gnanamba in the scam. Village Revenue officer Prasanth Kumar was suspended and criminal case was also be registered against dataentry operator Vamsi, the Collector said.