Hyderabad:
Telangana Minister Etala Rajender, stripped of his portfolio over land-grabbing allegations, was on Saturday dropped from Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Raos Cabinet.
The Minister was sacked hours after the Medak district administration submitted its report confirming the charges.
“On the advice of the Chief Minister of Telangana, the Governor has dropped Etala Rajender from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, a press communiqu from Raj Bhavan said.
Some farmers recently submitted a representation to the government alleging that Rajender’s firm which is into poultry business grabbed their lands and constructed roads and erected structures at Achempet in Medak district, about 55 Km from here.
Following the allegations, KCR on Friday ordered an inquiry.
Later, he stripped Rajender of the medical and health portfolio.
The Chief Minister then decided to keep the portfolio with him.
“An extent of over 66 acres of assigned land has been in illegal possession of Jamuna Hatcheries Limited as shown in the annexure and same will be resumed under Telangana Assigned Land (Prohibition of Transfers) Act 1977 and further other action as deemed fit will be initiated, the Collector’s report said.
Also, the report mentioned that many trees have been illegally removed for construction of a road and appropriate action would be initiated.
Rajender, a four-time MLA and one of the senior- most leaders of the TRS party, had denied the allegations.
