Patta allotment order cancelled
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 26 2012:
As it has turned out that homestead plots allotted to different individuals/parties at Kabo Leikai was done in a fraudulent manner, the State Government has cancelled the same allotment order.
Significantly, the State Government has been working to construct a five star category hotel by acquiring land from Kabo Leikai in addition to the plot presently occupied by the Hotel Imphal.
An official source informed that the Government issued notifications on December 17, 2010 and May 20, 2011 for acquisition of 1.497 acres of land from 30 persons for the proposed hotel.
Out of the 30 persons who are supposed to have been affected by the acquisition of land, 28 persons were allotted/transferred the land by a letter purportedly signed by the then Under Secretary (Revenue) W Kumar Singh under which Government approval for allotment of land measuring 2.247 acres to 35 persons was purportedly conveyed to the Imphal East Deputy Commissioner.
But while checking the files and records available in Secretariat Revenue Department, it was found that the allotment of land to the 35 persons was neither processed nor approved by the competent authority.
Among these 35 alleged original allottees, 12 persons are included in the list of 30 persons from whom land is to be acquired.
In the meantime, the alleged 35 allottees transferred the land to other persons and there are altogether 73 persons occupying the disputed land.
Out of these 73 persons, 28 persons including 12 alleged original allottees are included in the list of 30 persons from whom land is to be acquired.
Subsequently, the matter was referred to the State Vigilance Commission.
The commission's interim report said that the convey letter dated 14.02.2011 and the alleged allotment order dated 27.10.2006 in respect of the 35 allottees were issued without authority and hence can be treated as null and void.
Revenue Department served show cause notice to all the 73 concerned persons twice to explain why their land allotment order should not be cancelled in July 2011 but there was no response.
On the other hand, the State Vigilance Commission submitted their final report to the Revenue Department on August 6, 2011 .
Whereas the Revenue Under Secretary and the Settlement Director denied that they had signed and issued the allotment order, experts of Forensic Science Laboratory, Pangei opined that the signatures appearing on the said document could not established as genuine signatures.
The Commission further recommended to declare the said convey letter as well as the allotment order pertaining to allotment of land Kabo Leikai to the 35 individuals as null and void.
Acting on the recommendation, the Revenue Commissioner issued an order on August 23 last which declared the particular convey letter as well as the allotment order as null and void.