SANGAREDDY : The attempts of a few ruling party leaders to encroach government land (bhoodan movement land) worth around Rs 50 crore, which is close to Hyderabad, have come unstuck.
The ruling party leaders in collusion with an industry owner tried to grab the land but the timely intervention of the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) exposed the scam. It is not yet known if the government would initiate action against those who tried to pull a fast one on the government.
After the ownership of the three acres of land in Survey No: 521 in Muthangi village in Patancheru mandal remained steeped in controversy, the then District Collector M Hanumantha Rao wrote to the CCLA to decide who owns the land -- whether the government or the private industry.
Fake letter
Later, a fake letter purportedly sent by the CCLA was received by the collectorate stating that the owner of the land is the industry owner who has been claiming it as his. Without checking whether the letter received by the in-ward section of the collectorate was genuine or not, the section superintendent and additional collector sent the file to District Collector Dr A Sharath. The Collector, who did not see anything amiss, signed on it.
Then the revenue officials gave an order handing over the land to private individuals and sent a copy of compliance to the CCLA office. After receiving orders from the collectorate, they tried to convert the three acres of land into plots and build roads. When the villagers came to obstruct the works, the “owners” showed the orders given by the district administration.
CCLA officials shocked
Speaking to TNIE, Patancheru Tehsildar Parameshwar said that the CCLA officials who checked the complete details of the file number mentioned in the letter sent to its office after the land had been handed over to private individuals, were shocked and clarified to the collector’s office that no letter confirming the private individuals’ ownership was ever issued by its office. On receipt of the letter from the CCL, the Collector immediately cancelled the order of handing over three acres of land to the private person as it was confirmed that the previous letter from the CCLA office was fake.
He said that the land was currently in the possession of the government. When asked if any action would be taken against those who tried to deceive the government, Additional Collector (Administration) Veera Reddy said that as the matter is related to the CCLA office, they will take care of it.