Hyderabad: Niranjan Reddy denies charges

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy on Tuesday denied the allegations of Dubbaka MLA M Raghunandan Rao of land-grabbing by him.

In a statement Reddy said the BJP MLA was making wild allegations against him for political motive.

The minister said lands in his native village of Panagal were mentioned in his election affidavits for the 2014 and 2018 elections. The lands in question and the farmhouse built belong to his wife. Her own funds and bank loans were used, he added.

Reddy said two of his daughters who studied abroad and are employed had legally purchased lands out of their earnings. He dismissed the charges made by Rao that the lands were first purchased in name of STs and then transferred to his family members.

He said Guda Naik who had lost his father has been brought up by him; he is a member of my family, Reddy said. "His daughters could not come for registration of lands due to Covid. Initially part of lands have been registered in his name, and then the title rights were transferred to his daughter, he clarified. The minister warned of taking legal action for making baseless allegations.

Reddy dismissed the charges that the government sanctioned a road to the alleged farmhouse. He asked the MLA to go along with his chosen surveyers to measure the three farmhouses, he alleged, existed. He also clarified that the land records exist not only at the mandal but also at the district and CCLA level.

The minister demanded the MLA to tender an unconditional apology or be prepared to face legal action.