ACB sees lapses in Polavaram works

Top revenue official under scanner?

ACB DSP V. Gopalakrishna

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials, who raided the Polavaram revenue office here on Wednesday, suspect that bills of ₹80 lakh might have been misappropriated, and the amount spent on evacuating the Polavaram project-oustees from seven villages.

ACB DSP V. Gopalakrishna on Thursday said due to Dasara holidays it was not possible to verify the records seized, and that they might make arrests after October 15 should anyone be found guilty.

‘Will probe all angles’

Suspecting that the revenue officials were hand-in-glove with personnel of Transstroy, the main contractor of the irrigation project, Mr. Gopalakrishna said they would inquire into who had given the permission to draw the amount and who had signed the bills.

During preliminary inspection of the records, it was found that the revenue officials had drawn the amount to transport the evacuees during the first phase, and used Transstroy vehicles for the purpose.

The ACB officials are said to be probing the role of a top revenue officer in the entire episode.