Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

City planner in ACB net

Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA: The Anti Corruption Bureau on Thursday arrested City Planner D. Venkataratnam for allegedly possessing assets and properties disproportionate to his known sources of income. The ACB sleuths found assets of a value of Rs.38 lakhs in his possession during a raid conducted on his residence at Brindavan Colony.

The ACB officials conducted simultaneous raids at his native place Ballipadu village in West Godavari district and also at his in-laws' place in Ramannapalem village near Rajahmundry from around 6 a.m. The searches continued till 1 p.m. in the city.

ACB inspector C.M. Gangaiah said Venkataratnam purchased two plots at Rajahmundry in his name and in his wife's name. He also acquired five acres of land in Devarapalli and about three acres of land in Ballipadu.

Mr. Gangaiah said the ACB had unearthed gold worth Rs. 1.50 lakhs, silver worth Rs. 30,000 and Rs.35,000 cash, besides bank balance of Rs. 4 lakhs. Documents related to the properties in Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam were also recovered from his possession. "Total value of these disproportionate assets will be known only when the reports from Ramannapalem and Ballipadu are received," Mr. Gangaiah said.

Venkataratnam was immediately sent to the Machavaram police station and would be sent to judicial remand on Friday. DSP V.S.R. Chowdhary and other officials were present during the raid.

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