Telangana ACB raids Lands Department official, seizes ₹1 crore cash at 12 locations
Synopsis
Telangana's ACB has seized ₹1 crore in cash from a Lands and Surveys deputy director's premises across 12 Hyderabad locations — the second major disproportionate assets raid in a week, following the arrest of an R&B Engineer-in-Chief whose assets were valued at nearly ₹200 crore at market rates. The pattern suggests a sustained, department-level anti-graft sweep rather than isolated action.
Key Takeaways
Telangana ACB raided 12 locations in and around Hyderabad on 16 June targeting Sunkari Narahari , Deputy Director of Lands and Surveys (Multi Zone-2).
Searches yielded approximately ₹1 crore in cash , property documents, and significant bank deposit records.
The raids come a week after Mohan Naik , Engineer-in-Chief of R&B, was arrested in a separate DA case on 9 June .
Assets seized from Naik carried an official value of ₹17.95 crore but an estimated market value of nearly ₹200 crore .
Naik was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days ; Narahari's case investigation is ongoing.
Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday, 16 June conducted simultaneous searches at 12 locations in and around Hyderabad targeting Sunkari Narahari, Deputy Director of Lands and Surveys (Multi Zone-2), in an alleged case of disproportionate assets (DA). The raids, led by ACB DSP Gangasani Sridhar, are part of a broader anti-graft drive that has intensified across the state in recent weeks.
What the Searches Uncovered
ACB teams fanned out across Narahari's residence in Chatrinaka in the old city, his office in Narayanaguda, and properties linked to his relatives and close associates. According to sources, officials seized approximately ₹1 crore in cash, along with documents related to multiple properties and significant bank deposits.
Officials were reportedly deployed with currency counting machines to tally large bundles of notes and weighing machines to assess gold jewellery and silver items recovered during the searches. The ACB said it is continuing investigations into Narahari's assets, bank accounts, and investments, and is likely to issue a detailed statement on its findings.
Pattern of Escalating Anti-Corruption Action
The raids on Narahari come barely a week after the ACB arrested Mohan Naik, Engineer-in-Chief of Roads and Buildings (R&B), in a separate disproportionate assets case. On 9 June, searches at Naik's residence and linked premises yielded ₹60 lakh in cash, gold jewellery weighing one kilogram, and 13 gold biscuits, along with property documents in Hyderabad and Nizamabad.
The ACB subsequently produced Naik before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days. Assets identified during those raids carried an official value of approximately ₹17.95 crore, though their estimated market value reportedly stood at nearly ₹200 crore. Investigators have alleged that Naik favoured certain companies in contract awards and built a wide network of influence across Telangana.
Allegations Against the Official
Narahari is accused of amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income as a government official in the Lands and Surveys Department. The ACB has not yet disclosed the total estimated value of assets under scrutiny in his case, but the agency's investigation is ongoing. A formal statement detailing the findings is expected from the bureau later in the day.
What Happens Next
The ACB is expected to complete its asset valuation and file a detailed report before approaching a court for further legal action, following the procedural template used in the Mohan Naik case. The back-to-back high-profile raids signal a sustained push by the Telangana government against corruption in public departments, particularly those involving land and infrastructure — sectors historically prone to graft. Observers will watch whether these actions extend to other senior officials in the state's administrative machinery.
Point of View
The other infrastructure contracts — point to a systemic problem rather than individual bad actors. The Mohan Naik case, where market-value assets allegedly exceeded official estimates by more than ten times, is a reminder of how deeply procurement and land-related corruption can compound over a career. The ACB's use of currency counters and gold weighing machines on-site suggests the hauls are large enough to require industrial-scale counting — not a minor irregularity. What matters now is whether these raids translate into convictions or remain headline actions that dissipate in slow-moving courts.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sunkari Narahari and why was he raided?
Sunkari Narahari is the Deputy Director of Lands and Surveys (Multi Zone-2) in Telangana. The ACB raided his premises on 16 June over allegations that he amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income as a government official.
What did the ACB find during the Hyderabad raids?
According to sources, the ACB seized approximately ₹1 crore in cash, property-related documents, and records of significant bank deposits across 12 locations linked to Narahari and his associates. Gold jewellery and silver items were also reportedly recovered and weighed on-site.
How does this case connect to the Mohan Naik arrest?
The Narahari raids follow the ACB's arrest of R&B Engineer-in-Chief Mohan Naik on 9 June in a separate disproportionate assets case. Naik's seized assets had an official value of ₹17.95 crore but an estimated market value of nearly ₹200 crore, and he was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.
What action is the ACB likely to take next?
The ACB is continuing investigations into Narahari's assets, bank accounts, and investments, and is expected to issue a formal statement on its findings. If the pattern from the Naik case is followed, the agency will approach a court for remand after completing its preliminary asset assessment.
Which departments have been targeted in Telangana's recent anti-corruption drive?
The ACB's recent actions have focused on the Lands and Surveys Department and the Roads and Buildings Department — both sectors historically linked to corruption in land transactions and infrastructure contract awards.
