Hyderabad: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Telangana arrested Chetti Muralidhar Rao, the former Engineer-in-Chief of the Irrigation Department, on Tuesday. This arrest is part of a case involving disproportionate assets linked to the Kaleshwaram irrigation project.
Rao was a significant figure in building the multi-billion Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) during the former BRS government. Before his arrest, the ACB searched his properties and those of his family across the state. They discovered assets valued at Rs 200 crore.
The agency is also searching for Rao’s son, Abhishek, who is accused of acquiring contracts through proxies and making money from project-related deals.
ACB officials have filed a case against Rao under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Initial evidence suggests he amassed wealth beyond his legitimate income while in office. Rao is currently in ACB custody for questioning.
This arrest is significant as the Justice PC Ghose Commission of Enquiry, which is examining the lift irrigation project, is expected to report soon. Justice Ghose has already questioned Rao about project costs and the release of funds to contractors. Besides Rao, the ACB has detained several senior officials from the Irrigation Department for corruption.
The ACB’s findings regarding these high-level arrests will be vital for the Ghose Commission to conclude on the involvement of irrigation officials in the project’s irregularities, which was financed by loans from central agencies and financial institutions.
