Stage is set for the arrest of senior IAS officer Mr BP Acharya for his involvement in the APIIC-Emaar land scam, according to reports in a section of the media. The CBI will have to submit the charge sheet in the case by January 31 and before that his arrest would be affected.

Acharya, presently the principle secretary in the home department, worked as the managing director of the APIIC during the YSR regime and has been facing charges of manipulation of agreements that has brought losses to the Government organization to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees. He is the accused number 1 in the Emaar land scam.

The CBI has reportedly come to the conclusion that Acharya was responsible for the reduction of the APIIC share in business dealings of the Emaar Properties and wants to put him behind bars before the charge sheet is filed.

The CBI has till date arrested Mr Koneru Prasad and Sunil Reddy in the Emaar land scam and if arrested, Acharya will be the third one to be jailed in the case. He will also be the second IAS officer to be arrested in the scams that rocked AP. Sri Lakshmi was the first to be arrested in the illegal mining case involving the former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan reddy. (JUBS)