ACB nabs Sub-Registrar taking bribe for land conversion

Andhra Pradesh: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials caught Kalyanadurgam Sub-Registrar Narayanaswamy red-handed while accepting a Rs 5 lakh bribe to register municipal land as agricultural. The operation, carried out in Anantapur, has sparked wider scrutiny of irregular land registrations in the region.

Bribe demanded to register municipal land as agricultural

A real estate agent who purchased 1.5 acres of land within the Kalyanadurgam municipality approached the Sub-Registrar office for registration. However, Sub-Registrar Narayanaswamy allegedly declared that the land fell under commercial zoning and could not be registered as agricultural without special permission. He reportedly demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to facilitate the registration of the commercial land as agricultural, thus reducing the stamp duty payable.

Caught red-handed by ACB near his residence

Following the realtor’s complaint, ACB officials laid a trap. On Thursday night, Narayanaswamy was apprehended in Anantapur near his residence while accepting the bribe. The registration had reportedly already been processed under the “Anywhere Registration” provision at the Ramnagar Sub-Registrar Office on July 17.

Searches and document seizures at Registrar’s Office

After the arrest, the ACB team, led by DSP Jessy Prashanthi, conducted detailed searches at Narayanaswamy’s house and the Kalyanadurgam Sub-Registrar Office. Several documents and registration files were seized for further investigation.

ACB probes fake signatures, irregular files, and political links

On Friday, ACB officials continued their inspection into multiple recent land conversions and registrations within municipality limits. Files suspected of bypassing legal procedures, including those involving alleged forgeries of Tahsildars’ signatures from Kalyanadurgam, Kambadur, and Brahmasamudram, were reportedly seized. Investigators are also probing whether political influence or revenue sharing played a role in the irregular registrations.

Files to be shifted to Kurnool for detailed examination

ACB DSP Jessy Prashanthi informed the media that the confiscated files will be shifted to Kurnool for detailed scrutiny. Further action is likely based on the findings from the ongoing investigation.

Following the arrest, Sub-Registrar Narayanaswamy was produced in court. Officials stated that despite knowing the legal implications, he attempted to defraud the government exchequer by facilitating an unlawful registration for personal gain. The investigation continues as the ACB aims to uncover deeper networks of corruption within the land registration system.