Cong. says correcting wrongs, BJP questions Santosh wealth

TPCC vice-president Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said, “The people who have lost land owing to encroachment will be given their lands back. The BRS came to power promising people to make their lives better but they made people suffer during their rule. Mistakes made during the past regime are being corrected.”

BJP floor leader A. Maheshwar Reddy questioned how Santosh Kumar, who was an Indiramma house beneficiary before 2014, acquired so much wealth.

“Santosh was a de facto CM for 10 years. What has come out is just a small case and hundreds of such inst-ances will tumble out if probed. He and his family assets should be probed. The Congress government should not restrict itself to publicity by restricting to this case only and should order a vigilance enquiry on corruption during the previous government or allow the CBI to probe them.”

Santosh Kumar said he had purchased land in 2016 and the question of forgery did not arise.

Pooh-poohing reports that he had encroached 1,350 sq ft of land, he said, “The extent of land I purchased in 2016 from Shyam Sunder is 904 sq ft under sale deed 5917/2016 on November 11, 2016. The deal was done by paying `3,81,50,000 and (the document was) registered with the registration department. There has been no issue regarding the deal for the past eight years. The seller had in turn bought it in 1992 under sale deed 1888/1992 and informed me there is no legal dispute on it.”

He stated that he has not raised any structures on the land. The existing buildings were constructed by the earlier owners.

“If there is any legal issue, a notice should be issued to me and an explanation sought. Instead, a case of forgery has been filed directly in the police station. This is a purely politically-motivated case. Canards are being spread against me. I did not indulge in any encroachment. I am ready for any enquiry and will face it legally,” he said and warned that those trying to malign him would face legal consequences.