Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 12: A six-member team of social activists, representing 28 civil society groups working on land scam in the state, Wednesday filed a petition before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging accumulation of huge landed properties by former Kendrapara SP Satish Gajbhiye. The team urged the central agency to investigate these properties in Puri district by the controversial IPS officer.
This followed the visit of a fact-finding team consisting of RTI activist Pradeep Pradhan, advocate Sudhir Mohanty, and social activist Pratap Sahu to various places in Puri district August 11.
We visited Puri district August 11 and found out that Gajbhiye has purchased more than 35 acres of agricultural land in the name of his wife Ranjana Gajbhiye from the villagers of Alana, Baulanga and Barimunda villages in 2012 and 2013.
He has also acquired and encroached upon 40 acres of pasture and government land including the riverbed of Kadua. This was meant for digging of ponds for fishing. The digging has been going on since 2013 while fishing has already started at a few ponds, Pradeep said.
“Villagers told us that they never saw Ranjana while selling or signing the sale deeds at the office of sub-registrar of Gop block in Puri. Two chit fund operators Kailash Pradhan and Dilip Nayak have allegedly helped Gajbhiye to acquire these properties. Gajbhiye has also not disclosed any information about his land in his property statement submitted to the Government of India,” he added.
“CBI had earlier questioned Gajbhiye in connection with his alleged links with Seashore Group. We believe he was able to purchase the properties through the money he received from chit fund firms and his connections with Baba Sarathi, who too has a link with the tainted firms. We have given a letter to the CBI Director and CBI SP Rajiv Ranjan in Bhubaneswar,” civil society members said. Meanwhile, the CBI officials said they are examining the petition.
