A sophisticated scheme to acquire government land worth over Rs.70 crores has come to light in Andhra Pradesh. Former minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy allegedly targeted valuable lake land in Tukivakam through a clever paper trail that eventually transferred ownership to his wife.
The Tukivakam Pedda Cheruvu sits near the Nayudupet-Putalpattu National Highway in Renigunta mandal, close to Tirupati District Collectorate and Tiruchanoor. In this prime location, land values exceed Rs.10 crores per acre in the open market.
Instead of directly encroaching on the 7.28 acres of lake land, Peddireddy implemented a methodical approach. With help from cooperative revenue officials, he first had the government land records modified. Using his extensive political influence, Peddireddy arranged for a private individual named D.K. Subrahmanyam to be registered as the rightful owner.
Revenue department records show that the land was classified as “lake poramboke” (government reservoir land) until 2018. Mysteriously, after the YSR Congress Party came to power, a memo was issued on July 22, 2019, by then-Special Chief Secretary Manmohan Singh directing officials to “correct an error” and register D.K. Subrahmanyam as the pattadar (owner) in land records.
By March 5, 2022, the lake land was officially registered under D.K. Subrahmanyam’s name, despite linked documents still showing it as lake property. Just two months later, on May 26, 2022, Peddireddy’s wife Swarnalatha “purchased” the land from Subrahmanyam through a formal sale deed.
The Vigilance and Enforcement Department investigation has confirmed this fraudulent acquisition of public property. Their report recommends legal action against all involved, including the revenue officials who facilitated this scheme. The report specifically notes how political power was misused to orchestrate this sophisticated land grab without direct involvement.
