Thai wedding, luxury villa and flats: ACB exposes wealth of Telangana's 'crorepati engineer'

Telangana engineer's shocking wealth

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has uncovered a trove of luxury properties and assets allegedly belonging to a Telangana irrigation department engineer, sparking a disproportionate assets case. Nune Sridhar, an executive engineer, is under scrutiny after raids at 13 locations revealed holdings worth crores, far exceeding his known income.

According to officials cited by NDTV, Sridhar owns a 4,500 sq ft flat in Hyderabad’s upscale Sky High complex, three other flats in Karimnagar, a villa in Tellapur and three independent buildings across Warangal, Karimnagar and Hyderabad. The list doesn’t end there - 19 prime residential plots, 16 acres of farmland, stakes in multiple hotels and a lavish destination wedding for his son in Thailand have also been linked to him.

As per NDTV, Sridhar’s alleged wealth has drawn attention to his involvement in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, a multi-crore scheme already embroiled in corruption allegations. The PC Ghose Commission, probing irregularities in the project, has even summoned former Chief Minister K Chandrasekar Rao. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), however, has dismissed all accusations, maintaining the project was for public welfare.

An ACB official stated, “Financial documents, property papers and transaction records are being examined for links to potential benami holdings and corruption in irrigation contracts,” quoted NDTV.

In a related development, the Telangana Vigilance Commission has recommended criminal action against senior engineers and contractors involved in the Medigadda Barrage, a critical part of the Kaleshwaram project. The barrage suffered severe damage in 2023 when several piers collapsed.

A report by the Director General of Vigilance and Enforcement (DG, V&E) cited “serious lapses in execution”, leading to structural failure and financial losses. The Commission has urged charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Dam Safety Act and Indian Penal Code against 17 officials, including former Engineer-in-Chief Cheeti Muralidhar and contracting firm L&T-PES (JV).

The firm stands accused of improperly executing secant piles and violating protocols, causing underground cavities that destabilised the structure. Recovery proceedings have also been advised to reclaim costs for repairs, NDTV reported.