Telangana IAS officer Amoy Kumar questioned by ED in 42-acre land fraud case
Synopsis
A serving Telangana IAS officer appeared before the ED for the second time over an alleged 42-acre government land fraud in Rangareddy — a case that has already yielded 45 seized cars, ₹23 lakh in cash, and foreign currency. The probe's focus on the Dharani portal raises uncomfortable questions about systemic gaps in Telangana's digital land records.
Key Takeaways
IAS officer Amoy Kumar appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Hyderabad on 25 May 2025 for the second time in this case.
The ED is probing alleged money laundering linked to the illegal alienation of 42.33 acres of government and Bhoodan land in Nagaram village, Rangareddy district .
Kumar was not named in the FIR but his use of the Dharani portal and registration of properties in prohibited categories is under scrutiny.
The ED seized 45 cars , ₹23 lakh in cash, and 12,000 UAE Dirhams during searches in April 2024 .
The original FIR was registered at Maheshwaram Police Station following a court's direction on a private complaint filed in March 2023 .
Senior Telangana IAS officer Amoy Kumar appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad on Monday, 25 May, for questioning in connection with the alleged illegal alienation of 42 acres of government and Bhoodan land in Rangareddy district. The Central agency is probing a possible money laundering angle in the land deal, acting on an FIR registered by Telangana Police at the Maheshwaram Police Station.
Background of the Case
The probe traces back to a private complaint filed in March 2023 by one Dastagir Shareef, who alleged that certain individuals — with the alleged collusion of revenue officials — fraudulently obtained succession rights, mutated revenue records, and issued illegal passbooks for 42.33 acres of land in Nagaram village, Maheshwaram mandal, Rangareddy district. Acting on a court's direction, police registered the FIR and named several individuals, including Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) R.P. Jyothi, Munawar Khan, Khaderunnisa, K. Sridhar Reddy, and others as accused.
What the ED Investigation Found
According to the ED, government and Bhoodan land in Nagaram village was falsely claimed by Khaderunnisa as her ancestral property. Revenue records were allegedly fraudulently mutated, and the land was subsequently sold to various entities through several middlemen. 'These middlemen, in connivance with government officials, forged the documents and changed the land revenue records, resulting in de-notifying the said land from the prohibited list and its subsequent sale to some private parties,' the ED stated.
During searches conducted in Hyderabad in April 2024 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED's Hyderabad Zonal Office seized 45 cars — including several vintage vehicles — from the residences and farmhouses of accused persons including Khaderunnisa, Munawar Khan, Mohd Lateef Sharfan, Mohd Akhtar Sharfan, and Mohd Shukoor. The agency also recovered incriminating documents, ₹23 lakh in Indian currency, and 12,000 UAE Dirhams.
Amoy Kumar's Role Under Scrutiny
Though Amoy Kumar was not named as an accused in the FIR, his role regarding the use of the Dharani portal and the registration of properties under prohibited categories came under scrutiny. He had previously appeared before the ED in October 2024, making Monday's appearance his second round of questioning in the case.
Currently posted as an officer in the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department, Kumar had earlier served as the District Collector of Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri districts — tenures that are reportedly relevant to the ED's line of inquiry.
What Happens Next
The ED's questioning of a serving IAS officer signals that the agency is widening its examination of the administrative chain involved in the alleged land alienation. With the PMLA probe ongoing, further summons or action against other officials or private parties cannot be ruled out, according to reports. The case also puts a spotlight on the integrity of the Dharani portal — Telangana's digital land records system — and whether its safeguards against fraudulent mutations are adequate.
Point of View
It raises structural questions that go well beyond this case. Telangana's land records digitalisation was pitched as a reform milestone; the Nagaram case suggests the last-mile vulnerability was never the paper records but the officials controlling the digital ones.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is IAS officer Amoy Kumar being questioned by the ED?
Amoy Kumar appeared before the ED in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the illegal sale of 42.33 acres of government and Bhoodan land in Nagaram village, Rangareddy district. Though not named as an accused in the FIR, his role in using the Dharani portal and registering properties under prohibited categories is under scrutiny.
What is the Nagaram land fraud case about?
The case involves allegations that government and Bhoodan land in Nagaram village, Maheshwaram mandal, was falsely claimed as ancestral property, with revenue records fraudulently mutated and the land sold to private parties through middlemen. A private complaint in March 2023 triggered a police FIR and a subsequent ED probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
What did the ED seize during its searches?
The ED seized 45 cars — including vintage vehicles — along with incriminating documents, ₹23 lakh in Indian currency, and 12,000 UAE Dirhams during searches in Hyderabad in April 2024 at properties linked to the accused.
Has Amoy Kumar appeared before the ED before?
Yes. Amoy Kumar was previously questioned by the ED in October 2024. His appearance on 25 May 2025 is his second round of questioning in the case.
Who are the main accused in the FIR?
The FIR names Mandal Revenue Officer R.P. Jyothi, Munawar Khan, Khaderunnisa, K. Sridhar Reddy, and others. The ED's searches also covered the premises of Mohd Lateef Sharfan, Mohd Akhtar Sharfan, and Mohd Shukoor.
