Telangana ACB uncovers ₹5.88 crore assets at HMWS&SB official's premises
Synopsis
Telangana's ACB raided nine premises linked to a senior HMWS&SB engineering official on 19 May, seizing ₹1.10 crore in cash, 2.1 kg of gold, agricultural land across two districts, and multiple properties — all adding up to ₹5.88 crore on paper. The bureau warns the real market value could be far higher, continuing a pattern of high-value corruption busts targeting state engineering and transport officials.
Key Takeaways
Telangana ACB registered a disproportionate assets case against Saggam Anantha Laxmi Kumar , General Manager (Engg.), HMWS&SB , on 19 May .
Searches at nine premises — including his Mallapur residence — uncovered total documented assets of ₹5,88,55,490 .
Seized assets include ₹1.10 crore cash , 2.1 kg gold , 9.2 kg silver , 18 acres of agricultural land in Nizamabad and Sangareddy, and multiple urban properties.
The ACB noted actual market value 'may be many times higher' than the document value.
Case registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended 2018); investigation is ongoing.
In a similar December 2024 case, ACB found assets worth over ₹100 crore against a Telangana transport official whose document value was just ₹12.72 crore .
Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on 19 May registered a disproportionate assets case against Saggam Anantha Laxmi Kumar, General Manager (Engineering), Project Division-VIII, Red Hills, of the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), after searches at nine premises linked to him yielded assets valued at over ₹5.88 crore. The ACB said the official allegedly acquired wealth disproportionate to his known income through corrupt practices during his service tenure.
What the Searches Uncovered
ACB teams conducted simultaneous raids since early morning at Kumar's residence in Mallapur and eight other locations belonging to his relatives, friends, benamis, and associates. Officials were seen counting cash and sealing valuables on-site.
Documents relating to 18 acres of agricultural land in Nizamabad and Sangareddy, six open plots, three flats, and one house in Hyderabad were recovered. Additionally, net cash of ₹1.10 crore, gold ornaments weighing 2.1 kg, silver articles weighing 9.2 kg, one Maruti Ritz car, and one Bajaj motorcycle were seized from his residence. The total documented asset value stands at ₹5,88,55,490, according to the ACB.
The bureau cautioned that the actual market value of the movable and immovable properties 'may be many times higher than the document value,' suggesting the final figure could rise significantly once verification is complete.
Legal Basis for the Case
The case has been registered under Sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018 — provisions that deal with a public servant possessing assets beyond known income sources. Further verification of additional assets is currently underway, and the case remains under active investigation, the ACB stated.
Pattern of ACB Action in Telangana
This is not an isolated action. In a comparable case in December last year, the ACB uncovered assets allegedly amassed by Mood Kishan, then Deputy Transport Commissioner, Mahabubnagar district. While the document value of his properties was pegged at ₹12.72 crore, the actual market value was estimated at over ₹100 crore. The Telangana ACB has notably intensified its scrutiny of mid-to-senior level government officials across departments, with engineering and transport wings emerging as recurring targets.
What Happens Next
Investigators are expected to complete asset verification and file a chargesheet before the designated Special Court for ACB cases. The bureau's statement that market values could far exceed document values signals that the total disproportionate wealth figure may be revised upward as the probe deepens.
Point of View
Where a ₹12.72 crore paper value masked ₹100 crore in real wealth, should be the benchmark for how this case is read. What is notable here is the geographic spread: land in Nizamabad and Sangareddy, plots and flats in Hyderabad — pointing to a deliberate strategy of dispersal across registries. The real accountability test will be whether the chargesheet tracks every benami link the raids have surfaced, or whether the case settles for the easier document-value number.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Saggam Anantha Laxmi Kumar and why was he raided?
Saggam Anantha Laxmi Kumar is the General Manager (Engineering), Project Division-VIII, Red Hills, of the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB). The Telangana ACB raided his premises on 19 May after alleging he accumulated assets disproportionate to his known income through corrupt practices during his service.
What assets were found during the ACB searches?
Searches across nine premises yielded net cash of ₹1.10 crore, gold ornaments weighing 2.1 kg, silver articles weighing 9.2 kg, documents for 18 acres of agricultural land in Nizamabad and Sangareddy, six open plots, three flats, one house in Hyderabad, one Maruti Ritz car, and one Bajaj motorcycle — totalling ₹5,88,55,490 in documented value.
Under which law has the ACB registered the case?
The case has been registered under Sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, which penalise a public servant for possessing assets beyond known income sources.
Could the actual value of the seized assets be higher than ₹5.88 crore?
Yes. The ACB has explicitly stated that the market value of the movable and immovable properties 'may be many times higher than the document value.' Further verification of additional assets is currently underway.
Has the Telangana ACB taken similar action against other officials recently?
Yes. In December 2024, the ACB registered a case against Mood Kishan, then Deputy Transport Commissioner of Mahabubnagar district, whose properties had a document value of ₹12.72 crore but an estimated market value of over ₹100 crore.
