KCR orders probe into land grabbing charges against Health Minister [details]

In a major development, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday ordered inquiry into complaints of land encroachment against Health Minister E. Rajender.

The Chief Minister has instructed Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to get an inquiry done by the District Collector on the complaints of encroachments of lands on the outskirts of Achampet in Masaipet Mandal in Medak district, get a comprehensive report and submit the same to him, said the Chief Minister's Office.

DGP, Vigilance, Purnachandra Rao was also instructed to find out the truth on the allegations. The CM issued orders that the primary inquiry on the matter should be done immediately. He also asked the official to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit the reports.

Farmers' complaint prompts probe

The Chief Minister ordered the probe after some farmers in Medak district submitted a complaint to him, alleging that Rajender forcibly took over 100 acres of their assigned lands to start a poultry industry.

Eight villagers from Achampet and Hakimpet villages alleged that the minister and his followers had taken over their lands to start a poultry industry. They sought intervention by the Chief Minister and appealed to him to ensure that the assigned lands given to them by the government be restored to them immediately.

The land grab charge against a senior cabinet minister sent shockwaves in political circles. This is the first time that a minister in the TRS government faced allegations of land grabbing and the victims directly approached the Chief Minister.

The victims told the Chief Minister that they were given assigned lands by the government in 1994. They alleged that the minister and his followers Suri alias Alli Sudershan and Yamzala Sudershan Reddy forcibly collected the land assignment certificates from them.

(With inputs from IANS)