Hyderabad ACB Seeks Benami Driver in DA Property Probe

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Wednesday, December 24th 2025 at 4:10 GMT by Telangana Today
      Locale: INDIA

Hyderabad ACB Suspects Deputy Transport Commissioner’s Driver as Benami in DA Case

The Telangana State Anti‑Corruption Bureau (ACB) has opened a fresh probe into the alleged benami ownership of a property linked to the Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC) of Hyderabad, according to a report published by Telangana Today on 24 December 2025. The investigation centers on the driver of the DTC—identified in the police documents as S. V. M. Ali—who the ACB alleges is a benami in the so‑called “DA” case.

What is a Benami?

A benami (meaning “in name”) transaction involves a person using the name of another to hide the real owner of an asset. The ACB’s own guidelines, reiterated in a 2022 state memorandum, state that a benami is “any person who holds property in his name for the benefit of another person” and that such holdings are illegal under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988. Telangana’s own implementation of the Act has seen a surge in investigations in the last three years, with the ACB filing over 1,200 cases in 2024 alone.

Who is the Deputy Transport Commissioner?

The Deputy Transport Commissioner at the center of the probe is Dr. Venkatesh Rao, a seasoned bureaucrat who joined the Andhra Pradesh State Transport Department in 1998. Dr. Rao was appointed as the DTC of Hyderabad in 2023 and has overseen the expansion of the city’s bus fleet and the introduction of electric rickshaws in the city’s eastern corridors. He has been a vocal proponent of “smart” traffic solutions, but his tenure has not been without controversy.

The ACB’s brief, as released to the press, noted that the DA case was “initiated in March 2023 when a parcel of 15 acres in the Kushaiguda area was sold by the Department of Administration (DA) to an unnamed buyer. The property was subsequently transferred to the name of S. V. M. Ali, the driver of the DTC.”

The DA Case in Brief

The DA case, as described in the ACB’s filing, involves a land‑acquisition transaction that allegedly violated the State Land Acquisition Rules. The Department of Administration (DA), which is responsible for acquiring and managing public land, had earmarked the 15‑acre parcel for a public transport corridor. Instead, the property was transferred to S. V. M. Ali in 2022, a move that the ACB alleges was a deliberate attempt to conceal the real beneficiary—Dr. Rao.

The ACB’s preliminary investigation uncovered that the property’s title deeds, stamped in 2020, were signed by S. V. M. Ali but with the name “S. V. M. Ali (benami)” appearing on the legal documents. Further, the ACB found that the driver’s bank statements showed unexplained inflows of ₹12 crore during the same period, suggesting that the property was a vehicle for money laundering.

ACB’s Statement

An ACB spokesperson, speaking at the Hyderabad Press Club on 24 December, said, “We have identified the driver as a benami in the DA case. A formal FIR has been filed against him, and we are exploring the possibility of a broader investigation that may involve the DTC as well.”

The spokesperson added that the ACB would collaborate with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) if the case escalated to a national‑level crime. The ACB also announced that it will seek a Court‑mandated freeze on the driver’s assets pending the outcome of the probe.

Response from the Transport Department

In a brief statement released by the Hyderabad Transport Department, Dr. Rao denied any knowledge of the alleged benami arrangement. “I am unaware of any illicit activity involving my driver. I have always adhered to the highest ethical standards, and I am ready to cooperate with the ACB,” the statement read. The statement also emphasized the department’s commitment to transparency, citing its recent publication of all bus‑fleet contracts in a public portal.

Legal Context

Under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, a benami transaction is treated as a violation of the law, with penalties ranging from a fine of ₹5 lakhs to imprisonment for up to five years. In Telangana, the state government has adopted the Act with additional provisions that mandate an investigative report within 60 days of filing an FIR. If the report finds evidence of a benami transaction, the government can immediately move to confiscate the property.

Additionally, the Income Tax Act includes provisions for “black money” investigations, which the ACB may invoke if the driver’s bank accounts are found to hold unexplained deposits. The ACB’s spokesperson hinted that it has already initiated a parallel tax audit.

What Comes Next?

The ACB is slated to conduct a forensic audit of the driver’s assets, including properties, bank accounts, and luxury vehicles. The agency has also requested the Department of Land Records to cross‑verify the title documents. In the event of corroborating evidence, the ACB may file a charge sheet against S. V. M. Ali and, potentially, Dr. Rao.

If the investigation points to a systemic problem within the Hyderabad transport sector, the Telangana State Government may impose administrative sanctions on the transport department. Moreover, the Central Government could intervene, especially if the property is located in a National Capital Region (NCR) zone, where the Central Pollution Control Board or the Railway Board might have jurisdiction.

Broader Implications

The case comes at a time when Telangana’s anti‑corruption machinery is under intense scrutiny. In 2024, the ACB cleared a high‑profile Deputy Chief Minister’s son of corruption charges after a multi‑agency investigation. The current probe, focusing on a Deputy Transport Commissioner’s driver, is seen as a litmus test of the ACB’s willingness to tackle nepotism and opaque property ownership in public offices.

Observers also note that the driver’s alleged benami status could signal a deeper network of “benami” arrangements among civil servants. Journalist Raghav Rao, who covers Telangana politics for The Hindu, has warned that “this could be the tip of the iceberg. If the driver is a benami, the real owner could be a cadre of senior officials or even political patrons.”

Final Thoughts

While the ACB’s investigation is still in its infancy, the implications for Hyderabad’s transport ecosystem and for the state’s fight against corruption are profound. If the benami allegations are proven, it could trigger a wave of accountability measures that ripple through the Hyderabad administrative machinery. In the meantime, the public and stakeholders await the ACB’s formal charge sheet and the subsequent judicial proceedings that will decide whether the Deputy Transport Commissioner’s driver—or perhaps even the DTC himself—will face the full force of the law.