Secret Deals, Stolen Lands? Telangana HC Uncovers Dark Side of Bhoodan Allotments
In a major development, Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Thursday issued notices to 76 respondents, including top IAS and IPS officers, in connection with a writ petition alleging illegal grabbing of Bhoodan lands in Nagaram village, Maheshwaram mandal, Ranga Reddy district.
Hyderabad: In a major development, Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Thursday issued notices to 76 respondents, including top IAS and IPS officers, in connection with a writ petition alleging illegal grabbing of Bhoodan lands in Nagaram village, Maheshwaram mandal, Ranga Reddy district.
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The court directed the Ranga Reddy District Collector and the sub-registrars of Maheshwaram and L.B. Nagar to immediately classify the disputed lands as prohibited properties under the Bhoodan Act and to prevent any changes or transactions involving them until further notice.
Lands Belong to Bhoodan Board, Says Court
The case revolves around lands under survey numbers 181, 182, 194, and 195 in Nagaram village. Justice Reddy observed that these lands prima facie belong to the Bhoodan Board under Section 14 of the Bhoodan Act.
In his interim direction, the judge emphasized that such lands are meant to be distributed to landless individuals for cultivation or to be used for community purposes, such as housing for economically weaker sections. As per Rule 9 of the Bhoodan Rules, the land is heritable but cannot be sold or transferred.
Serious Allegations Against High-Ranking Officials
The petition, filed by Birla Mallesh, alleged that senior officials abused their authority in collusion with Revenue officials to illegally mutate land records and obtain pattadar passbooks for themselves or their family members. The petitioner also sought protection under the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014.
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Among the notices issued, the following high-ranking officials were named:
- Navin Mittal, IAS
- D. Amoy Kumar, IAS
- S. Harish, IAS
- Ravi Gupta, IPS
- Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, IPS
- T. Srinivas Rao, IPS
- Sowmya Mishra, IPS
- Swati Lakra, IPS
- Tarun Joshi, IPS
The names of spouses of some top officials also appear among the 76 respondents.
Petitioner Barred from Withdrawing Case
Given the serious nature of the allegations and their implications for public interest, Justice Reddy ordered that the petitioner must not be allowed to withdraw the writ petition. The court is treating the case as a matter of public accountability and legal transparency.
Next Hearing Scheduled for June 12
The matter has been posted for further hearing on June 12, 2025, as the court continues to examine the depth of alleged collusion and land irregularities involving influential bureaucrats.
This high-profile case could have far-reaching implications for land reform policies, bureaucratic accountability, and public trust in land allotment procedures under the Bhoodan Act.
