metro india news  I hyderabad

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana has arrested an Irrigation Department official after registering a disproportionate assets case against him. B Hari Ram, Engineer-in-Chief, Irrigation and Command Area Development (CAD) Department, Gajwel was booked for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income by indulging in unlawful practices and dubious means during his service, an ACB release said here on Saturday.

Searches were conducted at his house and 13 other places belonging to him and his relatives, and movable and immovable properties worth crores of rupees were unearthed, the release said. During the searches, several properties including villas at Shaikpet, Kondapur, flats in Srinagar, Madhapur, Narsingi, commercial space at Amaravati, 28 acres of agricultural land at Markook mandal, two independent houses, one farmhouse in six acres with a mango garden, and one building under construction at Kothagudem, open plots, two four-wheelers, gold ornaments and bank deposits were unearthed, said sources.  

According to rough estimates, the worth of the properties could be more than Rs 100 crores and the investigations are still on to finally assess the total worth including gold and cash.The searches revealed that the accused officer had acquired these properties by abusing his official position, it said, adding the searches were still going on. The market value is expected to be much higher than the official value. The accused officer was arrested, and further investigation is in progress, the ACB added.