Telangana ACB raids ex-irrigation chief engineer Muralidhar Rao in disproportionate assets case

Hyderabad: The Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, launched searches at 10 different locations in connection with a disproportionate assets case against Muralidhar Rao, a retired Engineer-in-Chief of the Irrigation Department.

Muralidhar Rao, who held several top positions during his service, was taken into ACB custody earlier in the day. Officials have booked him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, alleging he accumulated wealth far beyond his known sources of income while in government service.

Search operations began early morning at his residence in Banjara Hills, one of Hyderabad’s upscale neighborhoods. Simultaneous raids were also conducted at properties linked to him in Karimnagar, Zaheerabad, and other locations. ACB teams are inspecting documents related to real estate, bank accounts, investments, unaccounted cash, and gold.

According to sources, initial findings suggest Muralidhar Rao may be in possession of illegal assets amounting to several crores of rupees. Officials say the investigation aims to trace the full scale and origin of these assets.

The case is part of a broader crackdown on corruption within the state’s irrigation department, which has come under increased scrutiny in recent months. Multiple engineers have been investigated for similar charges.

Notably, the ACB has recently unearthed assets worth ₹60 crore to ₹70 crore in other cases linked to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), one of the state’s flagship infrastructure initiatives. The agency’s efforts are ongoing as it continues to probe financial irregularities within the department.