Warangal police have uncovered a sophisticated land registration fraud worth ₹3.90 crore, revealing how criminals exploited technical loopholes in Telangana’s online land registration systems to divert government revenue while generating documents that appeared fully legitimate.

What initially looked like routine land registrations across multiple districts turned out to be a coordinated digital scam that manipulated official fee payments on state-run portals. The investigation has so far led to 15 arrests and exposed serious vulnerabilities in the digitisation of land records.

Fraud Leveraged Weaknesses in Online Land Portals

According to police, the accused exploited gaps in the Dharani portal and its successor, the Bhu Bharathi platform, which are used for land registration and fee payments in Telangana.

Warangal Commissioner of Police Sunpreet Singh said the network used a mobile application and technical expertise to tamper with online challans at the payment stage. The accused allegedly paid reduced registration fees to the government but altered the digital receipts to reflect higher amounts. These forged challans were then submitted during land registrations, allowing transactions to proceed without raising immediate suspicion.

The manipulated receipts were routed through intermediaries and presented at Tahsildar offices, embedding the fraud within normal administrative processes.

Over 1,000 Documents Manipulated, ₹3.90 Crore Loss Estimated

Police have registered 22 cases so far—seven in Jangaon district and 15 in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district. Investigators estimate that at least 1,080 land documents were processed using forged payment receipts, causing a direct loss of approximately ₹3.90 crore to the state exchequer.

During raids, law enforcement seized ₹63.19 lakh in cash, property documents valued at nearly ₹1 crore, a car, two laptops, five desktop computers and 17 mobile phones. Authorities confirmed that nine additional suspects are still absconding, and further arrests are expected.

Middlemen and Service Centres Played Key Role

Investigators identified three individuals from Yadadri district—Pasunari Basavaraju, Jella Pandu and Maheshwaram Ganesh—as key conspirators in the operation.

Police said the trio worked with staff from Mee-Seva centres and private computer service centres operating in Jangaon, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri and Nalgonda districts. The group allegedly recruited middlemen who facilitated agricultural land registrations using forged digital documents, earning commissions of 10% to 30% per transaction.

These intermediaries acted as the bridge between landowners, service centres and the falsified online records, enabling the fraud to scale across districts.

Authorities Flag Risks in Rapid Digitisation

Senior officials said the case underscores how digitisation—while designed to improve transparency and efficiency—can create new opportunities for technology-driven fraud if systems are not adequately secured.

Commissioner Sunpreet Singh praised the investigation team for dismantling the network, specifically commending officers from the West Zone, Jangaon district and Raghunathpally division for their coordinated effort. Cash rewards have been announced for the officers involved.

Police said financial trails are still being examined to identify additional beneficiaries and recover the remaining diverted funds. The investigation remains ongoing.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered a massive cache of unaccounted wealth during a series of searches linked to an alleged illegal mining and money laundering network in Odisha, officials said on Friday.

According to sources, the Bhubaneswar Zonal Office of the ED conducted coordinated search operations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, recovering an almirah packed with cash worth several crores of rupees, along with luxury vehicles and key documents connected to mining leases and immovable properties.

The searches form part of an ongoing investigation into suspected large-scale laundering of proceeds generated from illegal mining activities across the state.

Multiple Locations Searched Under PMLA

The agency carried out searches at several premises associated with individuals and business entities believed to be part of a wider illegal mining syndicate. Acting under Section 17 of the PMLA, which authorizes search and seizure of assets suspected to be proceeds of crime, investigators reportedly seized:

• Large quantities of liquid cash stored in an almirah
• High-end luxury vehicles with unclear or concealed ownership details
• Documents related to land, real estate holdings, and financial transactions
• Mining lease agreements and records indicating possible regulatory breaches

Officials believe these materials may offer crucial evidence of how illicit mining revenues were generated, layered, and concealed.

Mining Proceeds Allegedly Laundered Through Cash and Assets

Investigators suspect that illegal extraction and transportation of minerals were carried out in violation of environmental regulations, mining laws, and lease conditions. The profits from these activities were allegedly converted into cash and assets to avoid detection by financial regulators.

The recovery of substantial physical cash—rather than funds routed through formal banking channels—has heightened concerns of deliberate attempts to bypass financial oversight and anti-money laundering controls.

The ED is examining whether the seized funds originated directly from illegal mining operations or were routed through shell entities, contractors, or benami arrangements.

Luxury Vehicles and Properties Under Investigation

Among the significant finds were luxury vehicles believed to have been registered under proxy names or complex ownership structures, a tactic frequently used to obscure the identity of the real beneficiaries.

Property-related documents and mining agreements seized during the raids are now under detailed scrutiny to determine:

• Whether mining leases were fraudulently obtained, misused, or unlawfully extended
• Whether real estate purchases were financed using proceeds of crime
• The possible involvement of public officials, facilitators, or intermediaries

Officials said forensic audits and document verification exercises will be carried out to trace the complete money trail.

Part of Wider Push Against Illegal Mining

Odisha, one of India’s most mineral-rich states, has long faced allegations of illegal mining, environmental damage, and loss of public revenue. In recent years, central agencies have stepped up action against mining syndicates where violations overlap with financial crimes and money laundering.

Under the PMLA framework, assets identified as proceeds of crime can be provisionally attached, followed by adjudication and eventual confiscation if the accused are convicted.

Investigation Ongoing

ED sources indicated that further questioning and summons are likely as investigators analyze the seized cash, documents, and digital records. The agency may also move to provisionally attach properties and vehicles linked to the suspected laundering network.

No arrests have been announced so far, and officials emphasized that the probe is still at a critical evidence-gathering stage.

Panchkula — A special CBI court in Panchkula has convicted directors of SRS Real Estate Ltd and SRS Real Infrastructure Ltd in a high-profile ₹152-crore Canara Bank fraud case, more than five years after the investigation began. The court detailed how loan funds were allegedly siphoned off through shell companies and diverted from their intended purposes.

Case Origins

The case began on July 14, 2020, following a complaint from Canara Bank’s Circle Office in Karnal, Haryana. The bank alleged that the two SRS firms, in conspiracy with their directors and associates, had fraudulently obtained loans worth ₹152 crore and diverted the proceeds for unrelated purposes.

Investigation Findings

CBI investigators found that SRS Real Infrastructure Ltd obtained a credit limit of ₹42 crore, causing a loss of ₹41.95 crore to the bank. Meanwhile, SRS Real Estate Ltd secured loans of ₹110 crore. About ₹93.20 crore was allegedly routed through shell companies with no genuine business activity, breaking any connection between borrowed funds and the sanctioned projects.

Two chargesheets were filed on December 31, 2022, detailing the alleged conspiracy, fund movements, and the roles of company directors and associates.

Convictions and Sentences

On December 22, 2025, the court convicted all accused, with sentences pronounced on January 13, 2026:

• Anil Jindal, Bishan Bansal, Nanak Chand Tayal, Rajesh Singla – convicted under IPC Section 420 (cheating) and sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment.
• Seema Narang and Dheeraj Gupta – convicted under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420, 468 (forgery), 471 (using forged documents), sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment. All sentences will run concurrently.

Court Proceedings

During sentencing, some convicted individuals requested permission to continue medical treatment in custody. The court allowed this, directing jail authorities to ensure medicines were provided according to prescriptions.

The verdict underscores the CBI’s role in tackling large-scale financial fraud and reinforces accountability for corporate malfeasance in India’s banking sector.