Land encroachment by ex-MLA: FIR lodged on court's direction

A Delhi court has ordered lodging of a criminal case against a former MLA for allegedly encroaching land and evading tax.
Special CBI judge Narottam Kaushal said a cognisable offence is made out from the complaint filed by an RTI activist, and directed that an officer not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Delhi Police shall examine the allegations of land encroachment and other illegalities against Kanwar Karan Singh, a former MLA from Model Town.
When a cognisable offence is made out from allegations set out in the complaint, "I am of the considered opinion that Officer In-charge, PS-ACB (police station, Anti Corruption Branch) has no reason not to register the FIR and investigate the same", the judge said.

"It is accordingly directed that an FIR be registered on the complaint dated April 23, 2013 submitted to the SHO, PS-ACB by the present complainant and the matter be investigated, against known/unknown persons. It is also directed that the matter be got investigated by officer not below the rank of ACP," he said.
The court order came on a complaint filed by RTI activist Vivek Garg, who had alleged that the then MLA was running a petrol pump in North West Delhi on an encroached piece of government land worth Rs 50 crore and evaded water and house taxes worth crores of rupees, the money due to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

According to sources, the ACB has lodged the FIR in the matter on the court's direction. However, they refused to disclose the name of the persons who have been made accused.