A multi-crore land scam in Telangana has rocked the state, exposing allegations of deep-rooted corruption within the previous Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) regime led by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). Even more shocking is that the state’s intelligence chief, tasked with upholding law and order, has been directly accused by a whistleblower of complicity in the scam, which involves bureaucrats, senior police officials, and influential politicians. The whistleblower, Birla Mallesh, submitted a nine-page report to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), alleging a powerful nexus of IAS and IPS officers along with revenue officials who conspired to seize prime land in Nagireddypally Village. Allegedly, these fraudulent registrations occurred under the watch of then-CCLA Commissioner Navin Mittal, who was also Principal Secretary (Revenue) at the time. Mallesh claims the officials forged documents to acquire property worth around Rs 60 crore. Criticism has long surrounded the BRS government’s Dharani Portal, which was promoted as a tool for digitizing land records but is now alleged to have facilitated dubious land deals. Accusations also implicate KCR’s family members, including his son, K.T. Rama Rao, and daughter, Kavitha, in the corruption. With the Congress-led government under A. Revanth Reddy now in power, the push for a full investigation has intensified. Will the CBI step in, as the list submitted to the ED implicates 36 IAS and IPS officers and their relatives?
At the center of the scandal is Mallesh’s mother, Bheerla Jangamma, a small farmer who holds a Lavani Patta for 23 acres in Nagireddypally. Despite having their ownership recorded on the Dharani Portal, the family has faced repeated harassment by trespassers allegedly backed by powerful interests. Requests for police protection were ignored, suggesting a nexus between local authorities and land grabbers. Mallesh’s report names several top officials, including former Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and current Director General of Police (DGP) Jitendra. Even the former state police chief Anjani Kumar is implicated, with his wife also mentioned in the complaint. These allegations point to a widespread abuse of power among high-ranking officials. The Dharani Portal, introduced to streamline land registration, is now at the center of a legal storm. Critics argue that while it was promoted as a transparency tool, it was cleverly used to legitimize fraudulent claims, leaving farmers like Jangamma defenseless against powerful encroachers. The portal’s integrity is currently under judicial scrutiny, with a case pending in the Telangana High Court.
Complicating matters further are alleged claims of political collusion between the BRS and AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) party. Reports suggest AIMIM legislators exerted undue influence over local authorities, leading to selective enforcement of laws in their constituencies. If proven, this alliance underscores how political power is used to protect vested interests at the expense of ordinary citizens. The new Congress administration now faces a critical test. To restore public trust, it must ensure an impartial probe, potentially involving the CBI, to hold those responsible accountable. However, given the entrenched interests, this task will not be easy. Mallesh’s report has already reached the ED, and pressure is mounting on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to initiate a comprehensive investigation. Anti-corruption activists and former bureaucrats are calling for severe penalties, including stripping implicated officials of their IAS and IPS credentials if found guilty. They argue that only harsh action can deter future misconduct and restore faith in governance. As the investigation gains momentum, the public is eager to see if the Congress government can deliver on its promises or if this will be yet another unfulfilled pledge in India’s long history of corruption scandals. The eyes of the nation are now on Telangana. Will this expose lead to real change, or will it merely serve as another chapter in the cycle of political posturing and unkept promises?
