Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths who raided the properties of Endowments Assistant Commissioner (AC-Estates) Medepalli Vijayaraju were shocked to find bundles of valuable saris worth some lakhs of rupees.
About seven teams of the Central Investigation Unit (CIU) of the ACB searched the houses of Mr. Vijayaraju, his relatives and friends in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Searches were conducted at seven places in Vijayawada, Bhimadole, Nellore, and Hyderabad.
The officers unearthed 10 house sites, 2.57 acres of agriculture land in West Godavari district, two houses, and a flat. They also unearthed 510 grams gold jewellery, 2 kg silver ornaments, three four-wheelers, four two-wheelers, ₹2.12 lakh cash, ₹5 lakh bank balance, and other valuables, said ACB Director-General R.P. Thakur.
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A native of Bhimadole in West Godavari district, Mr. Vijayaraju, son of M. Francis, joined the Endowments Department as Junior Assistant in 1990. He was promoted as Senior Assistant in 2000 and elevated as Superintendent in 2004.
He was working as Assistant Commissioner (Gazetted Superintendent-Estates) in the Endowment Commissioner’s office, Vijayawada, since 2014. Mr. Vijayaraju served as Executive Officer in various temples in Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, and Krishna districts. Some house sites, agriculture land, and houses were registered in the names of his family members, including Medepalli Lilli (wife), Pradeep Vijay and Sandeep (sons), Mr. Francis, and sister Ganji Vijaya Kumari, Mr. Thakur said.
The officers suspect the accused might have diverted valuable saris offered to deities by the devotees.
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“The raids are continuing and we are writing to different banks to know about his bank balances. Mr. Vijayaraju is being arrested and would be produced in the Special Court for ACB,” Mr. Thakur said.