Controversial Andhra Pradesh Endowments Department Assistant Commissioner K Shanti, who was known for her alleged political connections during the YSR Congress Party regime, has now landed in jail in connection with a disproportionate assets case.
On Tuesday, officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Shanti after conducting raids at multiple properties linked to her. On Wednesday, she was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
The ACB launched the operation after receiving a complaint alleging that Shanti had accumulated assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.
As part of the investigation, simultaneous searches were conducted at four locations, including Tadepalli and Undavalli.
According to sources, ACB officials reportedly found several high-value assets during the raids.
These include a luxury flat in Endada, Visakhapatnam, a G+2 residential building in Kunchanapalli, Tadepalli, around 770 grams of gold ornaments, 3 kilograms of silver, ₹1.15 lakh in cash, about ₹3 lakh in bank deposits, and two vehicles.
After nearly 10 hours of searches, officials took Shanti into custody from her residence in Tadepalli and later produced her before the ACB Special Court.
Shanti has been facing serious allegations linked to her tenure in the Endowments Department.
While serving as Assistant Commissioner, she was accused of facilitating the lease of temple-owned commercial properties in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts for 11 years without conducting auctions.
She has also been accused of irregular handling of temple hundi collections, with allegations that funds from various temples were transported in sacks through vehicles instead of being counted at the temple premises.
During her tenure in NTR district, Shanti reportedly faced several other allegations, including failure to remove encroachments despite tribunal orders, not acting against shop tenants of temple properties, and submitting misleading reports to higher authorities.
She was also said to have come under scrutiny for allegedly purchasing a luxury villa in Tadepalli, an area known for housing several ministers and MLAs.
Apart from official allegations, Shanti was also caught in controversy over her personal life, with claims that she had entered into a second marriage without legally divorcing her first husband, which was said to be a violation of service rules.
Her decision to address the media publicly against her first husband had also triggered controversy at the time.
In view of the growing allegations and administrative irregularities reported from Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and NTR districts, the state government had suspended her in July 2024.
Later, three separate inquiries were conducted, and sources say the allegations were found to have substance.
The Endowments Commissioner is said to have even proposed compulsory retirement for her, but the file was allegedly delayed at the Secretariat level.
Shanti later approached the High Court, which reportedly observed that if no action was taken within one year of suspension, she should be considered for reinstatement or posting.
Following that direction, the government revoked her suspension on March 24, and she submitted her joining report the very next day.
However, before she could receive a fresh posting, the ACB moved in and now, she has landed behind bars.
