Hunt On For `BROKER' Rajaiah

Hunt On For `BROKER' Rajaiah 23 Jan 2009, 0244 hrs IST, TNN Text: HYDERABAD: The shortest distance between two points, geometrically speaking is a straight line. But in business, it is a middleman/broker. That's what Akula Rajaiah was for the disgraced Ramalinga Raju, who allegedly brokered deals for Maytas Infra and Maytas Properties and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) is hunting for Rajaiah in this connection as he has gone `missing'. During the interrogation of Ramalinga Raju, the CID learnt about Rajaiah's involvement in the land deals that Raju made. When TOI tried to reach him on his mobile, it was switched off. A teacher-turned-realtor and politician, Rajaiah, a resident of Shanti Nagar in Patancheru of Medak district has been in the news even in the past. The high profile broker shot into limelight a couple of years ago after he allegedly got a GPA (General Power of Attorney) from farmers for 3,500 acres mostly in Ranga Reddy (RR) district. He repeated that even in neighbouring Nalgonda district to get control of thousands of acres. Through the GPA, without actually buying the land from farmers, he would hold it and sell it directly to interested parties. Now in his 60s, Rajaiah started dabbling in land deals while working as a teacher in Patancheru mandal and surrounding areas in 1995-96. As he hit pay dirt, he spread his tentacles into RR district in 2000. "Even if he bought land directly, he never held more than 53 acres as that would attract the Urban Land Ceiling Act,'' a tahsildar of RR district said. There have also been allegations that he purchased assigned land through GPA in RR district. He reportedly held 3,500 acres in RR district in 2006. This led the State Human Rights Commission to seek a report from the district collector of RR district and district registrar of registration and stamps department on the land holdings of Rajaiah in 2006 after media reports. The revenue authorities served notices on him for holding thousands of acres but the case did not stand in the court as they were purchased on GPA and he did not hold land more than ceiling limit at any point of time. The revenue administration filed an appeal on the case. "Rajaiah bought thousands of acres in Rachakonda areas of Nalgonda district from innocent tribals especially in Narayanpur mandal. He did not even pay the tribals. The TDP formed a committee and visited the areas. Two years ago we demanded an inquiry into his land dealings and his arrest,'' senior TDP leader and former Nalgonda MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy told TOI. The district collector of Nalgonda district is also inquiring into the allegations that some government land were bought by Rajaiah. According to locals in Patancheru, Akula Rajaiah has political aspirations and is said to be vying for a Congress ticket from Medak district. "Whenever there is a big party meeting in the district, he arranges hundreds of vehicles for transporting party workers,'' a local politician of Patancheru said.

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