Telangana suspends Ramu Naik over land fraud
HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has suspended Deputy Collector Ramu Naik, who served as Land Acquisition Officer in the Housing Board on deputation between 2013 and 2018, after a preliminary inquiry found his alleged involvement in multiple land frauds and illegal registrations.
Municipal Administration and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said officials entrusted with protecting the law during the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had instead facilitated the illegal transfer of government land.
Illegal registration near High Court under scrutiny
The minister said the alleged irregularities surfaced while authorities were examining Housing Board and government land in Hyderabad’s core urban area for the construction of Indiramma houses.
According to the inquiry, a 33.53-square-yard Housing Board plot near the High Court gates, where land is valued at around ₹2 lakh per square yard in the open market, was illegally registered on February 17, 2018. The land was allegedly registered in the name of the wife of Iftakhar Ahmed, a suspended Housing Board work inspector.
The inquiry further found that the property was subsequently transferred to another individual in 2025.
The minister said an inquiry had also been ordered against the then Charminar sub-registrar for registering the land without properly examining ownership records and related documents.
Multiple properties under investigation
Ponguleti said several cases had been registered against Ramu Naik since 2017, but the then BRS government failed to act.
He alleged that Ramu Naik facilitated illegal registrations of 400 square yards in Vijayanagar Colony, 22 square yards in Tuljaguda, 130 square yards in Laxmiguda and 497 square yards in Mahboob Ganj in the names of various individuals.
The government has directed the Inspector General of Stamps and Registration to investigate the role of sub-registrars in these cases.
Government warns of strict action
The minister said the government would complete the inquiry and verify all evidence before taking a decision on permanently dismissing Ramu Naik from service.
He added that Superintendent Vivekanand had already been permanently removed from service for allegedly assisting the land transactions, while another superintendent, Bona Naik, had been suspended.
“Anyone who encroaches on government land or assists such encroachments will face action, irrespective of their position,” the minister said.
He said government employees involved in illegal activities would face stringent action, including criminal cases and departmental proceedings.
