PIL seeks probe into fraudulent land deals

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Cuttack: A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Orissa High Court (HC) Thursday seeking a high-level investigation into alleged encroachment and sale of government lands at Patia and Kalarahanga mouzas here.
Chief Secretary, Law secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management secretary, General Administration (GA) secretary, Central Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Khurda Collector, Bhubaneswar sub-collector and tehsildar, and Kalarahanga Revenue Inspector (RI) have been made parties to the case.
Rights activist and advocate Achyutananda Swain, in his petition, informed the HC that a few influential persons and some unscrupulous government officials have acquired several patches of government land in Patia and Kalarahanga mouzas. “The fraudsters work hand in glove with the government officials to forge the handwritten land pattas of kings’ era and record the land patches in their name. Besides, they have also sold a few patches of the fraudulently acquired land to realtors,” Swain added.
He said a joint investigation by Revenue department, GA department and Central RDC or a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe could help unveil the details of the deals. Swain has urged the HC seeking a directive to the state government to reclaim the land at the earliest. Advocate Antaryami Swain pleaded on behalf of the petitioner.