Cong for House panel probe into 'benami' land deals of tribals

The opposition Congress today staged a walk out in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly after the government refused to accept its demandfor setting up a House committee to probe alleged benamisale and purchase of tribals' land in Kunkuni village in Raigarh district.
Raising the issue in the Question Hour, Congress MLA from Kharsiya seat Umesh Patel sought to know about the action taken on an investigation report on the "benami sale and purchase of tribals' land."
In his reply, Revenue Minister Premprakash Pandey said the investigation has been done on several points, including quantity of land bought by Saptarishi Enterprises in Kunkuni, the date of purchase, and how tribals' land was transferred to non-tribals.

Based on findings of the report, four patwaris (lower-rung Revenue officials), and a panchayat secretary were suspended. Besides, a Tehsildar and a Nayab Tehsildar were issued show cause notices seeking their replies, the minister said, adding that action was taken against officials of the Registry Office there.
The matter is now pending with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Revenue Court, in the district, he said.
Meanwhile, Patel said that a huge parcel of 300-acre land was bought in the name of those persons who are poor.

He asked if any probe was done to ascertain from where they got money for the "purchase".

However, the minister said prima facie it was matter of transfer (of ownership) of tribals' land to non-tribals and the process is underway to quash such transfers.
He clarified that it was not responsibility of Revenue Department to investigate from where the buyer received money, as such issue comes under the purview of the Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate.
Countering the minister, Congress MLA Bhupesh Baghel asked how a private railway siding was constructed on the land in question if it is disputed and the matter is pending with the court.
The minister said that his department was not aware of any such construction.

Unsatisfied by his reply, Baghel said that the construction of the railway siding was not possible without permission from concerned district collector, division commissioner and DRM (Divisional Railway Manager), hence a lower-rank official cannot probe the issue.
He demandedan enquiry into the matter either by a House Committeeor by aPrincipal Secretary-rank official, "as the issue involves senior officials of the state government as well as of the Railways."
Meanwhile, MLAs Amit Jogi and RK Rai also started raising slogans on the issue.
When Rai couldn't be pacified after repeated warning, the Assembly SpeakerGaurishankar Agrawal suspended him.
Baghel and other Congress members again raised the demand for a probe by the House Committee, to which the minister replied that the matter is pending with the revenue court.

Unhappy with his reply, the opposition MLAs started raising slogans demanding enquiry and to return the land to tribals and staged a walk out.