Illegal Land Transactions Exposed in Dharani Portal, Says Minister Ponguleti

• Suspicious land transaction logins were deleted deliberately.
• Illegally lost stamp duty and registration charges will be recovered.
• No official or beneficiary involved in wrongdoing will be spared.

The Telangana government has launched a deep probe into alleged irregularities linked to the Dharani land records portal, with Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy announcing a full-scale code audit and stern action against those responsible.

Addressing a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat, the minister said the Dharani system, originally designed to protect public land ownership, was systematically misused by influential individuals during the previous regime for personal gain. He stated that investigations by an expert committee have exposed serious lapses that go beyond routine technical errors.

According to the minister, loopholes in the portal were intentionally created and exploited to siphon off stamp duty and registration charges owed to the government. The committee found that several suspicious land transaction logins were deliberately deleted, making it difficult to trace illegal dealings. Even sensitive login credentials, which should have remained confidential, were found missing.

The minister revealed that earlier security audits had identified flaws in the Dharani portal, but those issues were ignored and falsely reported as resolved. He added that forensic scrutiny showed no proper code audit had been conducted earlier, raising serious concerns about system integrity. The involvement of a foreign firm entrusted with portal maintenance was also flagged as a contributing factor to the ongoing issues.

Ponguleti made it clear that the government would not show leniency. He warned that anyone involved in defrauding the state by misusing the Dharani portal would face strict consequences, irrespective of their position or influence. Every rupee lost to illegal transactions will be recovered, he asserted.

Emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding public land, the minister said all irregularities linked to Dharani would be brought to light. He directed officials to extend forensic audits, already conducted in districts like Sircilla and Siddipet, to the rest of the state.

Looking ahead, the minister instructed officials to ensure that the upcoming Bhu Bharati portal is designed without loopholes, minimizes human interference, and remains transparent and user friendly, while prioritizing the protection of citizens’ land rights.