1,800 acres of tribal land fraudulently acquired in Jharkhand: ED
- In Reports
- 09:41 PM, Sep 09, 2024
- Myind Staff
In an ongoing investigation into a major land scam in Jharkhand, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered significant findings. The probe, which led to the arrest and subsequent release of Chief Minister Hemant Soren earlier this year, reveals that approximately 1,800 acres of unsaleable tribal land were illicitly acquired by criminal networks. This was achieved through the fraudulent alteration of property records, according to sources familiar with the case.
The federal agency has been inundated with numerous complaints regarding land grabbing and has also identified illicit proceeds amounting to ₹3,000 crore.
The case involves the alleged illegal acquisition of prime land parcels designated as non-saleable under the Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act. This legislation aims to safeguard the land rights of tribal and marginalised communities. The land was reportedly seized through fraudulent deeds created using false identities and manipulated land records at circle offices and the Registrar of Assurances (RoA) in Kolkata, as well as circle offices in Jharkhand.
“After taking action, including the arrest of high-profile individuals like Soren, several bureaucrats and middlemen, we received more such complaints of land grabbing. During the probe, we found that 1,800 acres of land were dealt with in a similar fashion by the mafia. Our team has estimated that the total proceeds of crime is ₹3,000 crore,” an ED officer said, seeking anonymity.
“We are verifying all the complaints and a further probe is underway,” the officer added.
To date, at least 25 individuals, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren, have been arrested in connection with the case. The agency has alleged that the land grabbers and their associates in revenue offices forged land records dating back to 1932. Soren was detained on January 31 and subsequently released on June 28. In its March charge sheet against the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, the ED accused Soren of illegally acquiring 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi, valued at approximately ₹31 crore, although Soren has denied these allegations.
During searches conducted last year, the federal agency discovered 11 trunks filled with extensive property documents and 17 original registers from the premises of an accused, Bhanu Pratap Prasad.
Previously, the registration of landed properties in Bihar, which included present-day Jharkhand, was handled by the Registrar of Assurances (RoA) in Kolkata. This practice continued until 1991, after which property registrations in both Bihar and Jharkhand began to be conducted at the respective jurisdictional land registration offices.
Image source: PTI
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