The simmering differences between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh took a drastic turn on Thursday when a Telangana official lodged police complaint against his AP counterparts accusing them of diverting funds meant for Telangana to AP. The police registered a criminal case against two AP officials and questioned them.
The drama unfolded on Thursday afternoon after Telangana Labour Commissioner Ashok filed a complaint with Chikkadpally police, who registered a case of theft, cheating and criminal breach of trust against Mr. PV Murali Sagar and Mr. Rama Rao. While Mr Murali Sagar is the AP Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Rama Rao is the finance manager of the board.
“The officers maintained that they had acted upon the instructions of A.P. Chief Secretary, to transfer nearly Rs. 350 crore- Rs. 400 crore worth fixed deposits to A.P. Government,” Central zone DCP V.B. Kamalasan Reddy said. When these two officers were being questioned, the A.P. Labour Commissioner Ramanjaneyulu rushed there and gave his version too.
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Mr. Ashok, in his complaint, contended that the board had FDRs, current bank accounts and personal deposit accounts all worth Rs. 1,463 crore. These funds were to be shared in the ratio of 52:48 between AP and Telangana. A separate Board for Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare for Telangana was formed a few days ago. But without the knowledge of this board and intimation to its officials, the AP Board officials Murali Sagar and Rama Rao had transferred huge sums of money from different banks in Hyderabad to their respective branches in Vijayawada, the DCP said quoting the complaint. No records pertaining to the FDRs and their transfer could be found at the Labour Department office. The two officers told the investigators that all files concerned were handed over to the A.P. government. Tempers ran high as employees of Telangana Labour department staged demonstration at the Chikkadpally office accusing A.P. officials of robbing Telangana workers of their funds.
Police invoked sections 420 (cheating), 380 (theft), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 408 (criminal breach of trust by clerk or servant) and 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property) of Indian Penal Code in the case. Meanwhile, Top AP government officials said there was nothing wrong in moving the funds to a bank in Vijayawada. “There is nothing irregular or illegal” the senior official said adding that the board division had not taken place so far. “As and when the board is bifurcated, we are ready to give them their due share,” the official said regretting that cases had been filed over a non-issue.