Audit Finds 22,000 Anomalies in Dharani Portal Land Transactions

A forensic audit of Telangana's Dharani land portal has uncovered approximately 22,000 anomalies and suspicious transactions that occurred between October 2020 and December 2024. The investigation, which analyzed eight lakh transactions, revealed the unauthorized transfer of nearly 10,000 acres of restricted assigned land to unrelated individuals. These suspicious transactions were identified in several key districts, including Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rajanna-Sircilla, Siddipet, Warangal, and Vikarabad.

The state government had announced the forensic probe last year to investigate Dharani land transactions completed during the previous BRS regime. The audit was conducted by the Kerala Security Audit and Assurance Centre (KSAAC).

Despite identifying the vast scale of the irregular transactions, the state government remains unable to pinpoint the specific officers and individuals behind the transfers. According to the audit findings, the KSAAC failed to secure concrete evidence against the responsible officials because relevant online records were deleted and digital files were tampered with. In some instances, these deletions and alterations were reportedly executed at the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) office level.

The bulk of the compromised properties consisted of assigned land parcels. These lands are originally reserved for the landless poor, carrying strict legal restrictions that prohibit their sale or transfer to other parties. Under the fraudulent transactions, these parcels were illegally registered under the names of individuals who had no relation to the original assignees.

The forensic probe was initially confined to Siddipet and Rajanna-Sircilla districts. It was subsequently extended to Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts as more discrepancies came to light. Following the discovery of these widespread anomalies, a senior revenue department official confirmed that the state government now plans to expand the forensic audit statewide to cover all remaining districts.