An RTI activist has filed a written complaint with the Chief Minister of the alliance, Deputy CM, Vigilance and ACB officials alleging that the government’s Endowments Department suffered a loss of crores of rupees due to the EO in the auction of temple lands belonging to the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Tipparru village of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
BY – RAJA PENTAPATI AP BUREAU CHIEF
National News
Amravati July 1 (Bharat News)AP
Andhra Pradesh: RTI activist and journalist M. Lakshmana Rao has filed a complaint with the higher officials of the Endowment Department and several government departments, alleging serious irregularities in the conduct of the lease auction of agricultural lands belonging to the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Tipparru village of East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, and alleging corruption by the temple’s Executive Officer (EO) M. Ramaiah.
EO M. Ramaiah allegedly conducted the lease auctions of the temple lands on June 10, 2025 and June 9, 2025, in violation of government rules, without any prior information or permission.
In the first auction held on May 20, 2025, a farmer named M. Naresh placed the highest bid of Rs. 2.25 lakh. However, on the allegation that EO Ramaiah demanded a bribe to give him time to pay the remaining amount.
Lakshmana Rao wrote letters to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Director of Vigilance and Enforcement, and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and several other high-ranking officials.
The complaint states that Naresh’s bid was cancelled after he did not pay the bribe and a second auction was held without notification. The provision of giving a public advertisement ten days in advance as per Rule 7(1)(b) of G.O. M.S. No. 425 was violated. Lakshmana Rao clarified in his complaint that mere pasting of a pamphlet on a wall does not fall under public advertisement.
It is learnt that the lease was finalized for a small amount in this second auction. The complaint states that due to this, the government revenue has suffered a loss of crores of rupees, which is evidence of violation of government orders.
The complainant alleged that EO Ramaiah did not give any information to the District Endowment Department Officer in Rajahmundry about the two auctions, nor did he inform the higher officials about the details of the bidding amounts of lakhs of rupees collected.
Lakshmana Rao alleged that the fact that the higher officials of the endowments did not question Ramaiah all this time raises suspicion that they too are complicit in this corruption.
He appealed to the coalition government to rectify the injustice done to the first auctioneer, farmer Naresh, and restore the auction, protect the temple properties and restore the trust of the people in the Endowment Department.
Bharat News Andhra Pradesh
