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What ACB unearthed just tip of the iceberg, more to follow
Golla Venkata Raghu, Town and Country Planning Director, who was nabbed by the ACB sleuths for amassing property disproportionate to known sources of income on Monday has reportedly extended tentacles that indicate amassing of wealth amounting to Rs 500 crore. Whatever ACB probed so far is the tip of iceberg, sources said.
Vijayawada: Golla Venkata Raghu, Town and Country Planning Director, who was nabbed by the ACB sleuths for amassing property disproportionate to known sources of income on Monday has reportedly extended tentacles that indicate amassing of wealth amounting to Rs 500 crore. Whatever ACB probed so far is the tip of iceberg, sources said.
His accomplice draftsman Nalluri Venkata Siva Prasad who was once a contractor has helped Raghu in building a strong network of benamis. The suspicion that about eight employees of VMC were involved in the corruption episode is sending ripples in Corporation circles.
The ACB had reportedly carried out raids on Raghu’s residence when he was City Planner in Vizag during 2008. He is known for issuing permissions to constructions which violate rules. An MLA had also given him bribe of Rsthree lakh for regularising his building when he worked in Visakhapatnam.
Grapevine has it that the ACB is looking at eight benami employees who helped Raghu in carrying out the crime. Their houses may also be raided in a day or two, the sources said.
The sources informed that some building workers had played key role in spreading corruption in VMC. Even Raghu used to protect them whenever allegations were leveled against them. Not surprisingly, Raghu used to have direct interaction with MLAs and Ministers. When allegations galore were made against a woman employee, Raghu reportedly said that he had not received any complaint against her. He also took the help of a minister to subside the issue.
The extent of corruption surprises many by a single fact that he earned Rs 20 crore in just two years from 2008. Those who suffered by Raghu had been saying that he had control over some key staff and used to deal with political leaders.
