Patnaik orders Crime Branch probe into Ghangapatna land scam

Asking the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to put up the Prevention of Land Grabbing Bill before the Cabinet, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today handed over the alleged land scam case at Ghangapatna village to the Crime Branch of Police.
"The Revenue and Disaster Management Department is directed to put up the Prevention of Land Grabbing Bill with stringent provisions against land grabbers for consideration of the Cabinet within a month," an official release issued by the state government said.
The Chief Minister's move came after the Collector of Khurda district and Tehsildar of Bhubaneswar identified land grabbing and encroachment of about 76 acres of land at the Ghangapatna village on the outskirts of the state capital.

While asking the Telsildar of Bhubaneswar to restore the government land which was transferred fraudulently and used in violation of the lease conditions, Patnaik recommended suspension of the sub-registrar and proceedings against him with major penalty.
The Chief Minister asked the Crime Branch to submit a report within two months and asserted that action would be taken against those found involved, the release said.
Meanwhile, the government has asked officials to initiate disciplinary action and lodge criminal cases against the sub-registrar concerned, tehsildar, additional tehsildar and revenue inspector(RI), who have already been suspended.

Patnaik ordered lodging of FIRs against the persons responsible for illegally constructing a 1.3-km road connecting the encroached land.

Though the land was categorised as 'jungle kissam' (forest type) in the records, it had been categorised as 'anabadi' (fallow land).
The opposition parties and activists had been demanding a CBI probe into the matter and have alleged that many influential persons mostly belonging to the ruling BJD were involved in the scam.
The incident came to light early this month after reports of grabbing of about 100 acres of land by the leaders of the ruling party appeared in the media.