Visakhapatnam: SIT to resume investigation over land irregularities in the district

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the YSRCP government has resumed its probe into the land scams that took place in Visakhapatnam under the previous government. The trial has been halted since March this year due to coronavirus. SIT chairman Dr Vijaya Kumar reached Visakhapatnam on Saturday and met the committee as the severity of the virus is now declining. Chairman Vijaya Kumar, members YV Anuradha and Bhaskara Rao met at the Government Circuit House to discuss the investigation.

It is learned that the committee has already submitted an interim report to the government. In this context, preparations are being made to complete the investigation in another two to three months. Former Deputy Collector Sesha Shailaja, who had previously worked at SIT, was replaced with Tehsildar Thirumala Rao. Superiors are preparing to recruit the staff needed for the SIT in their place.

After SIT was appointed by the government in October last year, it has accepted the applications from November 1 to 7 at the Siripuram Vuda Auditorium. Out of a total of 1400 applications, 400 have so far completed investigations into the complaints and another 1000 applications are yet to be investigated. The SIT team is working to complete the investigation in two to three months. Inquiries into NOCs, land status change, tampering of records, confiscation of public lands to private individuals and companies, etc.

The SIT team identified land scams in 13 zones of the district during the last government. Earlier, there were allegations of land scams in Visakhapatnam Rural, Anandapuram, Padmanabhan, Bhimili, Maharanipeta, Mulagada, Gopalapatnam, Seetammadhara, Gajuwaka, Pedagantyada, Sabbavaram, Paravada and Pendurthi mandals within the city limits. Incidents such as tampering with land records during the previous government regime, tampering, changing names in the webland, issuing illegal NOCs, correcting land survey numbers, tying up government lands to private individuals, adding the names of elders in arable lands, and changing names overnight despite land acquisition from grandparents have taken place. NOCs were also issued arbitrarily in the case of the transfer of lands belonging to freedom fighters and ex-servicemen, which will also be examined by the SIT. The focus is on conducting a comprehensive investigation and preparing a report.