Jharkhand Court stays land transfer to bureaucrats
By IANSTuesday, February 2, 2010
RANCHI - The Jharkhand High Court Tuesday stayed the transfer of nearly 80 acres of land on the outskirts of state capital Ranchi to a society of civil service officers at throw away prices.
A division bench comprising Sushil Harkoli and R.R. Prasad while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) stayed the transfer of the land and issued a notice to the state government.
“The division bench has asked the state government under what provisions the land was transferred to the society. What is the public’s interest in transferring land to civil servants?” Rajiv Kumar, a lawyer told reporters. The next hearing of the PIL will take place March 8.
The Jharkhand government transferred 78.32 acres of land in Sanga village at throw away prices to the Civil Service Officers Cooperative Housing Society Limited (CSOCHSL) Jan 28. The land was registered at Rs.1,200 per decimal of land.
The market price of the land is more than Rs.75,000 per decimal of land. The estimated price of 78.32 acres of land will be more than Rs.80 crore at prevailing market prices.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed against IAS and IPS officers in the Jharkhand High Court Saturday. Petitioner Vishal Kumar said the land has been transferred through a registered deed to CSOCHSL by violating the rules. A vigilance probe should be ordered to investigate the entire episode. In the PIL, Kumar has demanded that the land transfer be scrapped with immediate effect.
According to reports, the land has huge deposits of granite and Chief Minister Shibu Soren has promised to look into the issue.
