Income Tax Attaches Three Benami Land Parcels Worth ₹5.52 Crore in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: The Income Tax Department’s Benami Prohibition Unit has provisionally attached three adjoining land parcels worth around ₹5.52 crore in Gopanpally. Officials found that the properties were acquired in the names of three individuals without any payment, as reported by TOI.
The three plots measure 1,210 square yards each, covering a total of 3,630 square yards in Gopanpally village of Serilingampally mandal, Rangareddy district. Officials estimated the value of each plot at around ₹1.84 crore.
Registered Holders Named as Prima Facie Benamidars
The department identified Tirupathi Rao Sattu, Chinthalapally Amaravathi, and Spoorthy Gona as the registered holders. Investigators treated them as prima facie benamidars.
Officials could not identify the people who funded or benefited from the transactions. They listed the beneficial owners as “unknown.”
The Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax issued the provisional attachment orders under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988. The Joint Commissioner of Income Tax, Benami Prohibition Unit, Hyderabad, approved the orders on July 31.
The department has barred any sale, transfer, or alteration of the land until the adjudicating authority issues further directions.
GPA Documents Considered Property Transfers
Investigators found that all three properties changed hands on May 11, 2022, through irrevocable General Power of Attorney (GPA) documents.
According to the department, the GPAs gave the holders possession of the land and unrestricted rights to sell it. Officials concluded that the transactions were effectively property sales, even though they were registered as GPA agreements.
The investigation also found that none of the registered holders paid any money to acquire these rights.
Registered Holders Deny Paying for the Land
During questioning, Tirupathi Rao Sattu said he did not pay any money for the GPA. He also told investigators that he did not possess the original documents and had no interest in the land. Based on his statement, officials treated him as a prima facie benamidar.
Chinthalapally Amaravathi said she signed the documents on her husband’s instructions. She told investigators that she did not know the details of the transaction or the source of the funds. Her husband also confirmed that no payment was made.
Spoorthy Gona could not appear before investigators due to ill health. Her husband appeared on her behalf. He said she had not paid any money, did not possess the original GPA documents, and had no interest in the property. He also told the department that it could proceed with action against the land.
