Solar firm with TGSPDCL ties under scrutiny in ex-Irrigation Chief's Graft case
Hyderabad: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials who are investigating Cheeti Muralidhar's Disproportionate Assets case now turned their scrutiny to two companies Virupa Renewable Energy Private Limited and Virupa Electrical Works Private Limited. Cheeti Muralidhar’s son, Sri Sai Abhishek, was reportedly the director of both these companies.
Sri Sai Abhishek has served as Director of Virupa Renewable Energy Private Limited since 2016, along with his partner, Harshavardhan Reddy Billa, according to ACB sources familiar with the probe. The company has an authorized share capital of Rs 3,00,00,000. VREPL, incorporated in 2016 by Sai Abhishek Cheeti, operates a 2 MW solar power plant located at Zaheerabad, Telangana, which commenced operations in April 2017. The company has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with TGSPDCL for a duration of 20 years.
Sri Sai Abhishek also served as the Director of Virupa Electrical Works Private Limited. This company was registered with the Registrar of Companies (ROC) in 2016. However, this company was struck off in the year 2021.
Cheeti Muralidhar joined the Irrigation and CAD Department in 1976 through APPSC recruitment. Over the years, he received multiple promotions and ultimately retired from regular government service as Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation) in 2013. Immediately thereafter, he was re-employed in the same post in 2013 and continued in service until 2024. While serving as Engineer-in-Chief in the Irrigation and CAD Department, the suspect officer also held several other roles.
He served as Director of Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project Corporation Limited, Director of Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited, Director of Telangana Water Resources Development Corporation Limited, Director, Telangana State Water Resources Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, and Director, Manjeera Lift Irrigation Corporation Limited. He resigned from his role as Engineer-in-Chief (General) in the I&CAD Department, Hyderabad, in 2024.
Searches were conducted at the house of the above Accused Officer and 11 other places which belong to him and his relatives. During the searches, several properties including a villa at Kondapur, a flat in Banjara Hills, one flat in Yousufguda, one flat in Begumpet, a flat in Kokapet, a commercial building in Karimnagar, a commercial building at Hyderabad, one apartment in Kodad, one solar power project of 2KW in Zaheerabad, one apartment under construction at Warangal, 11 acres of agricultural land, 4 residential prime open plots in Hyderabad, 6500 sq. yards of land in Mokila, three four-wheelers including a Mercedes Benz car, gold ornaments, and bank deposits were unearthed. The searches revealed that the above Accused Officer had acquired these movable and immovable properties by abusing his official position.
The tainted official was found to be in possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of legal income, amounting to Rs. 9,49 crores including assets and excess expenditure, for which he cannot satisfactorily account. The market value is expected to be much higher than the official value.
