A.P. Lokayukta orders action on three separate complaints
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The A.P. Lokayukta Justice T. Mallikarjuna Rao ordered action—imposing disciplinary penalties, recovery proceeding, and cancellation of irregular land registrations—in three separate complaints.
In a complaint registered in 2013, the then Jammalamadugu MLA Adinarayana Reddy had approached the Lokayukta alleging irregular payment of ex-gratia of ₹21.92 lakh to Chekka Pedda Obula Paju and his family members related to a government assigned land in Bukkapatnam village of Kondapuram mandal allegedly on the basis of fabricated D-pattas, pattadar passbooks, and title deeds.
“On enquiry, Kadapa District Collector reported that bogus documents containing forged signatures of revenue officials had been fabricated and the then Deputy Collector concerned had recommended/sanctioned the ex gratia amount without proper verification. Department initiated an enquiry against the concerned officials,” an official statement said.
The charges against two of the then Special Deputy Collectors were proved and the government imposed a 10% cut in monthly pension for three years on the two retired officials concerned. Criminal proceedings against the alleged bogus beneficiaries are pending before the court and recovery proceedings for ₹27.78 lakh are also being pursued.
Following this, the Lokayukta closed the complaint while the competent authorities can pursue the pending criminal and recovery proceedings in accordance with the law, the statement said.
In a complaint filed by K. Ramesh, the general secretary of MRPS, he alleged misappropriation of Swachh Andhra funds by the then panchayat secretary grade-I of Sanivarapupeta gram panchayat in Eluru Rural mandal. The Commissioner of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department reported that disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against the panchayat secretary, and a punishment of withholding one annual grade increment with cumulative effect was also imposed. After considering the action taken reports, the Lokayukta observed that the disciplinary cases had been finalised and closed the complaint.
Meanwhile, in the third complaint, Ch. Lambodhara of Kadapa district alleged that the then sub-registrar of Kadapa Rural had permitted the registration of a sale deed relating to land in the Krishnapuram revenue village, which was allegedly prohibited from registration under Section 22-A of the Registration Act. The Deputy Inspector General of Registration and Stamps, Kadapa, reported that departmental proceedings had been initiated against the former joint sub-registrar, who is now retired. The irregularly registered documents were subsequently cancelled through cancellation deeds executed by the tahsildar.
Closing the complaint, Lokayukta Justice T. Mallikarjuna Rao recommended the Special Chief Secretary, Revenue Department, to furnish the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings to the Institution for record.
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