Massive Telangana Land Scam: IAS Officer Amoy Kumar Under Government Enquiry
Hyderabad October 26
A sensational land scam has rocked Telangana, implicating several senior government officials, including former Rangareddy District Collector, Amoy Kumar. The allegations point to a coordinated effort to illegally transfer valuable government land to private entities, amounting to thousands of crores in losses to the state exchequer. As the Telangana government begins its official enquiry, the scale of the scandal continues to unfold, raising serious questions about the integrity of past land administration in the state.
The Background:
The government of Telangana has initiated an in-depth probe into what could be one of the largest land scams in recent history. At the center of the controversy is IAS officer Amoy Kumar, who served as Rangareddy District Collector, and his alleged involvement in the misappropriation of prime government land. Multiple land parcels, many of them worth hundreds of crores in the open market, were allegedly transferred into private hands during Kumar’s tenure in a series of backdoor deals. It is believed that these transactions were conducted in collusion with revenue officials, survey officers, and high-profile political figures.
The lands in question are spread across the bustling Serilingampally and Shankarapally Mandals of Rangareddy district—areas experiencing rapid urbanization and skyrocketing property prices. The prime nature of these lands, situated in high-demand locations near Hyderabad’s IT corridor, only heightens the gravity of the alleged irregularities.
The Key Allegations:
Among the most startling allegations is the illegal conversion of 42 acres of Sarkar (government) land in Guttala Begumpet village, Serilingampally Mandal. The land, registered as government property according to the Setwar records, is worth approximately Rs. 2,100 crores in the current market. Despite an ongoing court case concerning this land, it is alleged that Amoy Kumar intervened in December 2022, enabling a private entity to gain control of this high-value property.
Similarly, 50 acres of government land in Gopan Pally, also part of Serilingampally Mandal, saw questionable activity. This land, with a market value of Rs. 2,000 crores, had previously been the subject of a rejected application by a private firm, Siris. Despite the rejection, it is alleged that Kumar converted the land into private ownership, granting undue benefits to the company.
Further investigations reveal irregularities surrounding 110 acres of land in Serilingampally, originally allocated to an aluminum company by the government in the 1960s. With land prices soaring to Rs. 50 crore per acre, the total value of the disputed land is well over Rs. 5,500 crores. While the case between the aluminum company and a private individual is still pending in the Supreme Court, Kumar, along with other officials, is accused of favoring one party in the dispute, despite a Supreme Court-appointed commission being tasked with resolving the issue.
Another startling revelation involves 5 acres of government land in Madapur, Serilingampally, valued at Rs. 300 crores. This land, too, was allegedly converted into private property under Kumar’s watch, involving collaboration with the local Tehsildar and other revenue officers. A similar pattern emerged in Hafeez Pate village, where prime land worth Rs. 500 crores per acre was granted to private individuals despite ongoing court cases.
One of the most concerning aspects of the scam involves the creation of fraudulent survey numbers. In a controversial move, 150 acres of disputed land between Mokila and Kondapur villages—lacking official survey numbers and belonging to the state government—were assigned a new survey number and handed over to private companies. The estimated value of this land exceeds Rs. 6,000 crores, and its unauthorized transfer has raised serious alarm.
Adding to the controversy, 20 acres of Bhudan lands in Shankarapally, originally donated for public welfare, were allegedly granted to associates of Amoy Kumar, including well-known political figures such as Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and Sudhir Reddy. The land, worth Rs. 600 crores, was distributed without proper authorization, drawing attention to the involvement of political connections in the scheme.
The Larger Implications:
The allegations against Kumar are not limited to just these parcels of land. Investigations have uncovered widespread tampering with land records and the illegal transfer of government lands across multiple high-value areas in Rangareddy district. For instance, 150 acres of Billa Dakhla land in Khanapur village, worth Rs. 6,000 crores, were fraudulently titled to private individuals, despite being government property. Similarly, 27 acres of government land in Miyapur, valued at Rs. 1,350 crores, were reportedly given the green light for private construction without following due process.
A staggering 76 acres of land in Gachibowli were also allegedly transferred to private companies, including prominent developers and organizations such as Phoenix, Ayodhya Ramireddy, and Shilpanagi Reddy, despite the land being classified as ceiling-surplus and belonging to the government. The total value of these lands is estimated at Rs. 3,800 crores.
One of the most shocking discoveries involves 600 acres of government land in Gopan Pally village, where revenue authorities allegedly handed over 90 acres to private individuals in violation of regulations. In another case, 70 acres of land between Maheswaram and Thummaluru villages were linked to associates of former minister Sabita Indra Reddy, adding another layer of political involvement to the scandal.
The Government’s Response:
In light of these serious allegations, the Telangana government has launched a comprehensive enquiry into the actions of Amoy Kumar and his subordinates. The enquiry will examine the extent of Kumar’s involvement in facilitating the illegal transfers and the role of political figures in enabling these transactions.
The enquiry is expected to focus on the alleged involvement of revenue officials, including Tahsildar Vamsi Mohan and Survey and Land Record AD Srinivas, both of whom were reportedly involved in many of the questionable deals. Legal experts believe the scam could lead to one of the largest land recoveries in the state’s history, with potential court battles lasting for years.
Conclusion:
The unfolding scandal has sent shockwaves across Telangana, with many calling for swift action against the officials involved. The sheer scale of the alleged scam—covering government land worth Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 crores—has raised concerns about the integrity of land administration in the state.
As the investigation progresses, it remains to be seen how deep the roots of this scam run and whether the government will succeed in reclaiming the lost land. For now, the spotlight remains firmly on Amoy Kumar and his associates, as Telangana braces for what could be a watershed moment in the state’s fight against corruption.
