AP Mines dept official held after ACB raids in DA case

The Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today arrested a Mines department official after unearthing huge assets allegedly disproportionate to his known sources of income in raids.
The Central Investigation Unit sleuths of the ACB conducted simultaneous raids on the properties of Assistant Geologist Battu Hanumantha Rao in Guntur, Srikakulam, and Prakasam districts.
His relatives' houses were also searched.
The total of 25 house sites admeasuring thousands of square yards in all were found in the name of Assistant Geologist Battu Hanumantha Rao, his mother, wife and son in SPS Nellore, Prakasam and Guntur districts," ACB Director General R P Thakur said in a release.

Two residential flats, 5.42 acres of agricultural land and a granite industry were also discovered, the DG said.
"Besides, 353 grams of gold, 1.6 kg of silver articles, Rs 3 lakh in bank deposit, four two-wheelers and a car were also confiscated," it said.
Thakur said Rao was earlier arrested on September 20 this year for allegedly accepting a bribe amount of Rs 5 lakh from a miner.
A senior ACB official said the market value of the assets could be well over Rs 50 crore.