The two land scams of Miyapur and Balanagar, involving illegal registration of hundreds of acres of government lands in prime localities in Hyderabad, are different but the key operatives are the same.
Investigators stumbled upon clinching evidence to this extent and are further digging out to identify the common behind-the-screen persons in the two biggest land scams unearthed in recent times. An advocate Krishna Reddy, who was arrested on Thursday by the Balanagar police, and an absconding land broker Mohammed Shareef, emerged as the key persons in the two sensational frauds.
“Actually, Balanagar land scam is much bigger than that of Miyapur. Balanagar Sub-Registrar (SR) registered lands of Miyapur and six other entire villages on the name of some persons,” Balangar ACP T. Goverdhan said on Thursday. Even the investigators, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths and the Stamps and Registration Department officials were baffled by the ‘audacity’ of Balanagar SR over ‘registration of entire six villages’.
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Family members of a Jagirdar of Nizam period, late Khaisaruddin Khan, had been claiming rights over huge tracts of lands in Miyapur, Balanagar and other parts of Hyderabad. After prolonged legal battles for years together, the High Court at Hyderabad declared that the lands belonged to the State government. The litigants moved the Supreme Court where the matter is pending. Shareef and Krishna Reddy approached the litigants and got the huge tracts of lands in Miyapur and six other villages on the name of the former through an agreement of sale.
“They took these litigants to a big businessman who assured to get the dispute settled at the apex court and distribute their share of the proceeds,” a police officer unwilling to be quoted said. Shareef brokered the deal and transfer of the land in Miyapur land scam as well, the investigators said.
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The same businessman showed interest to ‘handle the court matter in Miyapur case and get it settled’. Litigants in both the cases hailed from the family of late Khaisaruddin. The arrested Krishna Reddy allegedly helped the accused in preparation of the legal documents and other papers connected to the two land scams, the Balanagar ACP said.
“In a written agreement made between the litigant and Shareef, it was stated that they would give 5% share of the property to the lawyer for the services he rendered,” Mr. Goverdhan said.