HC sets aside order of Land Revenue Commissioner

The Kerala High Court today set aside the order of Land Revenue Commissioner cancelling the mutation of the original owners of the Kalamassery land fraud case, allegedly involving Salim Raj, former gunman of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Land Revenue Commissioner T O Sooraj had in a September 4, 2012 order cancelled mutation of property in the name of N A Shariffa and others who were the original owners of 98 cents of land in Thrikkakara north village.
Allowing the petition, Justice A V Ramakrishna Pillai observed that the Land Revenue Commissioner cancelling mutation of the land owned by Shariffa and others has no legal force.

The Land Revenue Commissioner cancelled the mutation on the ground that the land is vested in the state under provisions of the Kerala Land Reforms Act.
The Court quashed the proceedings and consequential order of the Land Revenue Commissioner and received land tax from the landowner.
Allegations had been levelled against Sooraj that he had cleared revenue procedures to help the accused, who are reported to be his relatives, to help them grab land worth Rs 25 crore at Pathadipalam near Kalamassery.
Sooraj has denied all charges and said that he had acted based on reports from other officials.