Land scam: SIT receives 323 complaints in three days in Visakhapatnam

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was initiated by the Andhra Pradesh State Government, to probe the multi-crore land scam in the Visakhapatnam region, got into action from 1 November, 2019. The SIT has received 323 complaints within three days of its constitution, though the initial response was lukewarm. 

On Sunday alone, 87 complaints have been filed, at the VUDA Children’s Theatre, where the newly appointed SIT is scrutinising the petitions.  In the first three days, 57 petitions relating to tampering of land records were accepted by the SIT. Furthermore, 266 complaints have been diverted to ‘Others’ desk. The complaints under ‘Others’ desk will be addressed by the government’s redressal programme “Spandana”. The applications will be accepted until 7 November, 2019. 

The three-member team comprises of retired IAS officer Vijay Kumar, retired IAS officer YV Anuradha and retired District and Sessions Judge T Bhaskar Rao. It is conducting a comprehensive inquiry into the multiple land scam allegations that had surfaced in 2017 in Visakhapatnam. It will further submit a report to the government at the end of its three-month tenure. 

As reported by Eenadu, the SIT member YV Anuradha informed that most of the reported complaints were cases of land encroachment, grabbing, and tampering of land records. “Resolving these issues will take longer than anticipated. However, we will definitely hold investigations on the Non – SIT cases, if directed by the government, she further added.