Telangana: Malla Reddy faces land grab charges

Hyderabad: Alleging that former Telangana minister Malla Reddy grabbed their lands, a group of people staged a protest at Praja Bhavan here during Praja Vani programme on Friday.

The protesters claimed that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader created fake documents to grab their lands near Malla Reddy University in Dulapally.

The victims said of 360 plots, Malla Reddy and his aides encroached on 130 plots. They urged the current A. Revnath Reddy-led government to provide them justice.

Malla Reddy, who was minister in the previous BRS government, is now an MLA from Medchal constituency in Medchal Malkajgiri district on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Holding placards and raising slogans, the victims staged the protest in front of Praja Bhavan, the official residence of Deputy Chief Minister, where the government is hearing the grievances of people during the Praja Vani programme held every Tuesday and Friday. The banner by Sri Mallikarjuna Sagar Welfare and Development Society read 'Malla Reddy land grabbing victims'. A woman told media persons that she bought the plot in 1990 and whenever they were trying to take up construction, some people were stopping them claiming it to be their land.

Another victim said they had been running around the government offices for several years but to no avail. Last month, police had booked a case against Malla Reddy and seven others after they allegedly encroached 47 acres of tribal land at Keshavaram village in Malkajgiri.

Kethavath Bikshapathi, the complainant, alleged that the accused illegally occupied and confiscated his ancestral land by fraud and conspiracy during the election period. The land was registered in Bikshapathi's mother's name. However, the complainant said the accused had conned him and his family members and transferred their 47 acres of land.

Malla Reddy, however, denied the land grabbing allegations and asserted that he will approach the court. The BRS leader runs a private university and a chain of educational institutions including engineering and medical colleges and hospitals.