Thaindian News

Hyderabad, May 4 (IANS) The prime accused in the murder of gangster Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri owns lands worth over Rs.140 crore and was involved in many settlements including the one relating to Handri-Neeva irrigation project, police said Friday.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh Police revealed that Bhanu, who was arrested last month, and his associates threatened the contractors not to submit their tenders for the Handri-Neeva project and got the works worth Rs.178 crore allotted to JK Constructions, GVR Constructions and Coastal Constructions.

The CID, which interrogated Bhanu for 10 days, said the accused collected Rs.18.5 crore in this settlement in 2005-06.

Bhanu was arrested by the police on April 21, nearly one-and-half year after he shot dead his boss Suri in Hyderabad. When Suri was in jail, Bhanu and his associates Madhu Mohan Reddy, Mangali Krishna and Ediga Srikanth Goud used his name to extort money and settle many land disputes around Hyderabad.

After Suri came out of jail in 2010, serious differences arose between him and Bhanu over the ownership of the property. This finally led to the killing of Suri, a key accused in the murder of former state minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Paritala Ravi in 2005.

The CID took Bhanu to Seoni in Madhya Pradesh, where he had taken a house on rent for hiding after Suri’s murder. A 0.32 revolver with ammunition was recovered.

Bhanu confessed that he and his associates procured nine home-made fire arms for extortion and settlements. Two of these weapons have been recovered.

Bhanu extorted Rs.1.20 crore from film producer Shiva Ram Krishna and others in 2006 in a land dispute.

The accused and his associates own 36 acres of land worth Rs.40 crore in Puppalaguda village and 26.36 acres worth Rs.50 crore at Manchirevula village, both on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

They also purchased 25.26 acre land worth Rs.10 crore in Mahabubnagar district, 90 acres land worth Rs.5 crore near Machilipatnam port, 3.27 acre land worth Rs.2 crore and another 19.32 acre plot worth Rs.10 crore in Nylata village in Ranga Reddy district near Hyderabad.

The CID said they were trying to gather more information about settlements and the properties the accused purchased. Steps are also being taken to freeze their bank accounts.

Police have appealed to public to share information relating to the illegal activities of the Bhanu and his associates.