Bhanu: Acquired benami assets worth Rs 800cr

HYDERABAD: Mallisetty Bhanu Kiran alias Bhanu told Crime Investigation Department (CID) sleuths that he had acquired benami assets worth almost Rs 800 crore by effecting land settlements on the outskirts of the city with the assistance of local police and revenue officials.
The gangster said that he used to supply Tollywood heroines and cash to two RDOs, sub-collectors who helped him with identifying disputed and government land on the periphery of the city.
According to the CID report submitted in court, Bhanu was actively involved in land settlements during the period when Suri was in jail.
Bhanu also told police that Tollywood producers Singanamala Ramesh and Ch Kalyan had used his help to settle over 30 land disputes.
Police said that the duo used to help Bhanu by supplying heroines to various government officials as a favour for assistance rendered.
Meanwhile, CID sleuths have written to telecom operator Uninor asking for call statements of the Bhanu’s cellular phone when he was in Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni.
Sleuths have also filed a petition in a local court seeking 14 days’ custody of Bhanu. The said court has posted the hearing for Tuesday.
Additional director-general of police (CID), SV Ramana Murthy told TOI that Bhanu had been thoroughly grilled though he admitted that the gangster had not revealed anything about benami assets running into Rs 800 crore.