FIR against Rosaiah, 14 others in land de-notification case

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday registered a case against former Chief Minister K Rosaiah and 14 others in a land de-notification case, following a court directive.

An FIR was registered against Rosaiah and 14 others under relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and under Section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker) of the IPC, a senior ACB official told PTI.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court last month had permitted the ACB to register and investigate a case against Rosaiah and others after an advocate, Mohanlal, filed a petition alleging that the former chief minister and some officials illegally issued a GO regularising occupation of nine acres of prime land in Ameerpet area here.

However, Justice Raja Elango had directed the ACB not to make any arrests.

In December last year, Special Court for ACB cases, after hearing Mohanlal's petition directed the ACB to enquire and submit a report on the issue before January 28.

When the ACB court referred the matter to the investigating agency, some of the accused approached the High Court, which had granted an interim stay. But, following Mohanlal's petition, Justice Elango vacated the interim stay and said the ACB could register the case, investigate and file a report before the ACB court.

According to Mohanlal, the land was bought by G N Naidu and 14 others from the land owners in 1997 after the land acquisition notification was issued.

However in 2010, following representation from Naidu, the state government withdrew the notification and handed over the land to private parties in an unlawful manner, he had alleged.