Kerala

HML Probe: Law on the lines of KDH act mooted

The Vigilance has recommended a legislation on the lines of the Kannan Devan Hills (KDH) (Resumption of Lands) Act, 1971,

Express News Service

The Vigilance has recommended a legislation on the lines of the Kannan Devan Hills (KDH) (Resumption of Lands) Act, 1971, to take over the government lands in the illegal possession of the Harrisons Malayalam Ltd (HML). Vigilance DySP Nandanam Pillai, who probed the alleged forgery of litho maps of the HML, submitted the report earlier this week. In the report, he has proposed a comprehensive inquiry into all plantations in the state. The Vigilance also notes that the Revenue officials who had helped the company in forging documents should be brought under the purview of the comprehensive probe. Pillai filed the report just before he was shifted from the case. It is alleged that the sudden move is to torpedo further investigation. The report also suggests that the loans availed of by the company by pledging illegally-held lands should be probed in detail and those responsible should be booked without fail, the sources said. Moreover, the report proposes that the probe should also include the tea subsidies availed of from the Tea Board. The Vigilance said that the company had been availing of tea subsidies by producing alleged fake sketches and documents. It is also learned that the Vigilance has suggested an extensive probe by the Centre for violation of the FERA. The sources said that the Vigilance had noted that the company had prepared documents (1600/1923) for allegedly hiding facts. The Vigilance had found that the documents (1600/1923) and survey maps with the company were all fabricated and had been made outside the country, mainly England. The documents produced for the 26,000 acres of land registered in 1923 was found to be in high quality paper with John Dickinson and Company water mark, which was not in use then.

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