Fake Land Documents Scam in Telangana: Tollywood Producer Sivaramakrishna and two Arrested

Osmania University police have arrested three individuals linked to a significant land scam involving the forgery of government property documents and the issuance of fake certificates by the Telangana State Archives & Research Institute. This scam revolves around falsified documents used to claim ownership of 83 acres of prime Paigah lands, estimated to be worth hundreds of crores of rupees.

The arrested individuals include Tollywood film producer Sivaramakrishna, Managing Partner of Sree Venkateshwara Estates; Kothinti Chandrasekhar, a Record Assistant at the Telangana State Archives; and Maragoni Lingamaiah, a trader. These individuals allegedly conspired to forge land records and present them in a civil dispute to obtain favorable court orders regarding the ownership of government land.

The Arrests:

• Sivaramakrishna (A.1) was found deeply involved in the conspiracy to forge and manipulate documents.
• Kothinti Chandrasekhar (A.2) is accused of abusing his position within the Archives Department to provide fake land documents, including forged Pahani and Asal Sethwaru records, which were later used in court.
• Maragoni Lingamaiah (A.3) is accused of using the falsified documents to secure legal relief and misrepresent government land as private property in court proceedings.

How the Scam Unfolded:

The Telangana State Archives & Research Institute, which houses approximately 43 million historical records, including administrative documents from dynasties like the Bahmani, Qutub Shahi, Adil Shahi, and Asaf Jahi, came under scrutiny after it was discovered that fake property documents were being issued. Police reported that the accused colluded to forge essential land documents purportedly issued by the Archives Department, even though the institute does not maintain such records.

The forged documents pertain to 83 acres of land in Rayadurgam and 10 acres in Yacharam Mandal, Ibrahimpatnam. These falsified records were presented in court to falsely portray the lands as private property, leading to protracted legal disputes that forced the government of Telangana to approach the Supreme Court of India to reclaim its rightful ownership of the land.

Dr. Zareena Parveen, Director of the Telangana State Archives & Research Institute, filed the complaint on August 8, 2024. This prompted the Central Crime Station (CCS), Hyderabad, to issue a “Zero” FIR, which was subsequently transferred to the Osmania University police station.

The Forged Documents:

At the center of this scam is a forged sale deed dated 15th Aban 1259 Hijri (October 9, 1843) and a Sethwar related to Survey No. 46 of Rayadurgam Paigah village. However, the Archives Department has clarified that they do not hold any records pertaining to private estates like Paigah or Sarf-i-Khass, nor do they issue sale deeds or Sethwars for private transactions.

Legal Ramifications:

The scam has significant legal ramifications, as the government of Telangana was initially forced to defend its claim to the land in court, where a favorable judgment was issued for the land grabbers. The High Court of Telangana had ruled in favor of the accused based on the fake documents, but the discovery of the scam has now reversed this ruling. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case soon.