CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered a probe into a curious case of land fraud wherein a few people were not just able to get pattas of open space reservation (OSR) lands, but even got a lump sum by claiming compensation when the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) acquired the land for the Chennai - Bengaluru Expressway project.
The court stumbled on the scam when it was hearing a petition seeking compensation for the lands acquired in 2019 for the project. The court found that about 5.1 acres of land parcels acquired near Sriperumbudur in Kancheepuram district were actually OSR lands belonging to the Nemili panchayat since 1992, and that NHAI had paid around `300 crore as compensation to various people who had fraudulently claimed ownership. The lands were allegedly fraudulently transferred to these individuals in 2018, just months before they claimed and received compensation from NHAI.
The HC had been hearing a petition filed in 2019 by a resident of Sriperumbudur seeking compensation for the land acquired. While the case was pending before the court, NHAI released the payment. Subsequently, when the petitioner approached the court for withdrawal of the case, Justice V Bhavani Subbaroyan found some discrepancies in the affidavit, turned down the request, and directed the CB-CID to probe the matter.
The court said NHAI issued statutory notifications for acquiring lands in 2016 and 2017. After a publication in the Gazette, the land promoters sold the land to a few persons in 2018. Within months, the landowners received compensation from NHAI in 2019.Surprisingly, the Registering Authority cancelled the gift deed and transferred the land to a few persons based on a letter given by Sriperumbudur Block Development Officer.
The BDO said she has no objection to executing the sale as the landowner has the right over the property. However, the BDO, who is now retired, later informed the court that she had not given any such letter to the registration department.Following this, the Sriperumpudur panchayat union commissioner filed a complaint with the police. The police have not taken any action yet. The court wondered why no efforts were taken to cancel the sale deed.
Following the court order, the Kancheepuram Collector has nominated the Sriperumbudur RDO to study the issue and lodge a complaint with the CB-CID. RDO Sylendran said, “We have sought documents from the police and the registration department. Upon receiving them, a complaint will be lodged with the CB-CID.” Sources from the NHAI said, “After cancelling the registration of documents, we will initiate proceedings to recover the money.”
Accidental exposé
The court stumbled upon the scam when it was hearing a petition seeking compensation for the lands acquired in 2019 for the project. It found that about 5.1 acres of land parcels acquired were actually OSR lands belonging to the Nemili panchayat since 1992