Indian tax authorities have provisionally attached a large land bank on the eastern edge of Hyderabad after concluding that the parcels were held through benami arrangements, a move that reinforces regulatory scrutiny over opaque land transactions in fast-urbanising regions. The action, involving hundreds of acres valued at over Rs 2,000 crore, signals tighter enforcement at a time when peri-urban land is increasingly central to the city’s growth, infrastructure planning, and housing supply.
The attachment was carried out by the Benami Prohibition wing of the Income Tax Department following a detailed investigation into land located across multiple villages in Abdullapurmet mandal, a zone witnessing rising interest due to its proximity to the Outer Ring Road and emerging industrial corridors. Officials issued multiple provisional orders after determining that the recorded owners were not the real beneficiaries of the properties. Regulatory findings indicate that the land originally belonged to a listed industrial company and was later transferred through a network of real estate entities connected to its former promoter group. Investigators found that the transactions were structured in a manner that masked effective ownership while allowing control to remain with the original promoters. According to officials familiar with the probe, such arrangements meet the legal definition of benami property under Indian law, where assets are held in another party’s name to conceal the true owner. A key concern highlighted by the authorities was the pricing and sequencing of the transactions. The initial consideration was fixed at a level that avoided triggering enhanced corporate governance checks, including shareholder and audit committee approvals mandated under securities regulations. Subsequent revisions to the land value were executed only after changes in the company’s management, raising red flags about intent and disclosure.
Financial trails examined during the investigation showed that acquisition funds were routed through private trusts associated with the promoter family, rather than being independently financed by the intermediary real estate entities. Digital records and banking data, officials said, demonstrated continued control over the land, despite formal transfers on paper. Urban development experts note that such cases have broader implications for city planning and equitable growth. Large, undisclosed land holdings can distort land markets, delay planned infrastructure, and restrict transparent access to developable land needed for housing, logistics, and public amenities. In regions like eastern Hyderabad, where future transport and employment nodes are being planned, clarity of land ownership is critical for sustainable and climate-resilient urban expansion.
The provisional attachment prevents the transfer or monetisation of the land while adjudication continues. Officials emphasised that the action forms part of a wider effort to dismantle layered ownership structures that undermine governance norms and market transparency. As Indian cities expand outward, the case underscores the growing intersection between tax enforcement, real estate regulation, and long-term urban resilience. What follows will be closely watched by developers, investors, and planners alike, as authorities seek to align land markets with responsible and accountable urban growth.
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