ACB seizes villas, luxury cars, gold from retired Telangana irrigation engineer; Arrest made

Hyderabad: The Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case of disproportionate assets against C. Muralidhar Rao, retired Engineer-in-Chief of the Irrigation and CAD Department, for allegedly amassing wealth far exceeding his known sources of income through unlawful and dubious means during his tenure in public service.

ACB officials conducted searches at C. Muralidhar Rao’s residence and 11 other locations linked to him and his relatives. During the operation, authorities uncovered a significant portfolio of properties, including a villa in Kondapur, flats in Banjara Hills, Yousufguda, Begumpet, and Kokapet, as well as commercial buildings in Karimnagar and Hyderabad. They also discovered an apartment in Kodad, a solar power project of 2KW in Zaheerabad, and an apartment under construction in Warangal.

In addition to these, the search teams seized 11 acres of agricultural land, four residential prime open plots in Hyderabad, and 6,500 square yards of land in Mokila. Movable assets recovered include three four-wheelers, one of which is a Mercedes Benz, along with gold ornaments and substantial bank deposits.

According to the ACB, preliminary findings indicate that the accused officer had acquired these assets by abusing his official position. The total market value of the seized assets is believed to be significantly higher than their official valuation. The searches are still underway. Muralidhar Rao has been arrested and is being sent to judicial remand. Further investigation is in progress.

The ACB has urged the public to report any demands for bribes by government officials. Complaints can be made by calling the toll-free number 1064. Citizens can also contact the agency via WhatsApp at 9440446106, Facebook (Telangana ACB), or X (formerly Twitter) @TelanganaACB. The identity of complainants will be kept confidential.