Fresh Dharani probe ordered despite audit flagging 10,000 suspicious deals
HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has ordered another probe into alleged irregularities in the Dharani land records portal, raising fresh questions over the delay in fixing responsibility. A forensic audit reportedly identified more than 10,000 suspicious transactions during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime. Yet, the government has not acted against those allegedly involved.
SET to probe Dharani transactions and land mutations
At its July 17 meeting, the state Cabinet constituted a Special Enquiry Team (SET). The team includes officials from the police, revenue and information technology departments. Senior IPS officer Charu Sinha, Additional Director General of Police (CID) and Director-General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), will head the inquiry.
However, the government is yet to issue official orders fixing a deadline for the investigation. The delay has raised doubts about how quickly the inquiry will move forward.
Forensic audit flagged over 10,000 suspicious transactions
The latest probe comes after a forensic audit reportedly uncovered more than 10,000 suspicious transactions. The audit team submitted its latest report earlier this month. Despite these findings, the government has not initiated action against any revenue official, BRS leader or agency.
After coming to power, the Congress government took nearly one-and-a-half years to replace the Dharani portal with Bhu Bharati in April 2025. It then took almost another year to order a forensic audit of Dharani transactions.
The government commissioned the audit in December 2024 and entrusted it to the Kerala Security Audit and Assurance Centre (KSAAC) in 2025. The audit began in May 2025 and initially covered the Sircilla and Siddipet Assembly constituencies.
KSAAC submitted its first report in November 2025. The government expanded the audit to cover the entire state in December. The agency submitted its latest report in early July.
Minister promises fast-track investigation
Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the SET would fast-track the investigation into illegal land mutations, transfers of government land and the alleged misuse of the Dharani portal.
Speaking informally with reporters at the Secretariat on Saturday, the minister said the government would bring to justice those who illegally occupied government or assigned lands.
He said the inquiry would examine every stage of the process, from the Dharani tender to the Bhu Bharati portal.
“A forensic audit alone cannot fully expose the irregularities. A comprehensive investigation by the SET is essential,” Srinivas Reddy said.
The fresh probe has renewed attention on whether the government will finally act against those responsible or whether this inquiry will become another chapter in the long-running Dharani controversy.
