CHENNAI: The State government on Friday transferred the Beemanthangal land scam case from Kancheepuram district crime branch to the CB-CID. The case pertains to miscreants using forged land documents to swindle several crores of rupees meant for widening the Chennai - Bengaluru bypass road.
The Kancheepuram crime branch police on June 23, arrested two persons, who had received Rs 33 crore compensation from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for handing over 2.5 acres of land in Beemanthangal village near Sriperumbudur for a six lane project. The duo was charged with forging documents for obtaining pattas for 7.5 acres of government land.
“The case involves scrutiny of documents of lands in Beemanthangal and neighbhouring villages prior to 1970. A total of Rs 126 crore had been paid to 76 persons for acquiring land for Chennai - Bengaluru six-lane project. However, all the land parcels turned out to be government land. Hence, the case was referred to CB-CID,” said a senior government official.
Other than the two arrested persons, the remaining people have genuine land records till 1985. Meanwhile, the savings accounts of 73 land owners have been frozen based on a request from the NHAI. The land scam came to limelight last year when the Commissioner of Land Administration conducted an inquiry into a patta request for a land parcel in Beemanthangal village.