A disproportionate assets case has been registered.
- A Telangana irrigation department executive engineer faces scrutiny for assets exceeding known income sources.
- The Anti-Corruption Bureau raided 13 locations linked to N Sridhar, uncovering significant wealth.
- Sridhar allegedly organised an extravagant destination wedding for his son in Thailand, costing crores.
A destination wedding in Thailand for his son, on which crores were reportedly spent, a villa, three independent buildings, 19 prime residential plots, at least four flats, and stakes in multiple hotels - this lifestyle and assets may seem like they belong to a very wealthy businessman, but they are allegedly of an executive engineer in the irrigation department in Telangana.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau on Tuesday raided 13 locations linked to Executive Engineer Nune Sridhar and discovered assets that are disproportionate to his known sources of income. The list included a 4,500 square foot flat in a luxury residential complex called Sky High in Hyderabad's Shaikpet, besides at least three other flats in Karimnagar.
Officials said Mr Sridhar also owns a villa in Tellapur near Hyderabad, at least three independent buildings in Warangal, Karimanagar and Hyderabad, 19 prime residential plots in the three cities, 16 acres of agricultural land, and stakes in multiple hotels in Karimnagar, worth several crores, besides cash, jewellery and bank deposits.
Mr Sridhar also said to have organised a destination wedding for his son in Thailand, spending crores on all the arrangements.
The executive engineer, sources said, was also involved in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project - the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation project - which has been mired in corruption allegations. Former Telangana chief minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrashekar Rao has also been summoned by the PC Ghose Commission, which is probing alleged irregularities in the project.
The corruption allegations surrounding the project had become a major issue in the 2023 Assembly elections in the state and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi has rubbished all the charges, insisting that it was planned and constructed for the welfare of the people of Telangana.
Officials from the Anti-Corruption Bureau said a disproportionate assets (DA) Case has been registered against Mr Sridhar. "Financial documents, property papers, and transaction records are being examined for links to potential benami holdings and corruption in irrigation contracts," said an official.
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Another report has recommended criminal proceedings in the Medigadda Barrage Case. The barrage is a key part of the Kaleshwaram project and had suffered damage, with several of its piers collapsing, in 2023.
The Telangana Vigilance Commission has recommended that the Irrigation and Command Area Development (I&CAD) Department initiate criminal proceedings against senior engineers and the construction agency responsible for the barrage.
The report, submitted by the Director General, Vigilance and Enforcement (DG, V&E), Hyderabad, has found serious lapses in execution, resulting in the sinking of Block No 7 of the barrage and a substantial financial loss to the state. The Vigilance Commission has advised that criminal cases be registered under sections pf the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Dam Safety Act, 2021, and the Public Demands Recovery Act, 1984.
The Commission's directive includes initiating action against 17 officers, including the former Engineer-in-Chief, Cheeti Muralidhar, and officials of the contracting agency, L&T-PES (JV), for faulty execution and procedural violations that led to the structural failure. The agency is accused of improperly executing secant piles and violating their own method statement, causing piping action beneath the raft and eventual cavity formation.
The Commission has further instructed that recovery proceedings be initiated to reclaim the cost incurred for the replacement of the damaged block, and action be taken against the contractor for claiming completion certificates without fulfilling the required terms of the supplemental agreements.
