Acting on the complaint received from a resident of Manali town, about purchase of the land on the basis of an agriculture certificate acquired fraudulently by Avinash Kumar son of Amrit Lal resident of village Chhota Khera, Ropar, Punjab, at five different places in Manali area, Chief Minister has ordered inquiry into all the land deals carried by him during the period from December, 2007 to November, 2008. In the orders passed by him, Principal Secretary (Revenue), Divisional Commissioner, Mandi and Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, have been directed to conduct thorough investigation by according top priority into the alleged land deals as also to inquire into the matter relating to the issuance of the fraud Agriculture Certificate in favour of him. The entire process has been directed to be completed and reported back to the office of the Chief Minister by May 20, 2011.
Chief Minister said that State Government is concerned about the alleged ‘Benami’ land transactions which had taken place in the State in the past. He appealed to the people to bring such cases to the notice of the Government so that strict action could be taken against the culprits. He said that he had written personal letters to Virbhadra Singh, Union Minister, Vidya Stokes, Leader of Opposition in HP Legislative Assembly and Kaul Singh Thakur, President, HP Congress Committee, to name the persons who had been responsible for ‘benami’ land deals in the State so that action could be taken against them as per the law of the land. He added that the awakened society also needed to come forward in revealing the names of the persons who had acquired revenue documents through fraudulent means and purchased land in the State in defiance of the prescribed norms.
Prof. Dhumal said that State Government will not let any land transaction take place in the State by acquiring legal documents through unfair means and all such cases would be got inquired into thoroughly. He said that strict vigil would be maintained over land transactions taking place in different parts of the State. He appealed to the people of the State not to sell their land to people who did not have legally valid revenue documents required to purchase land in the State. He said that no ‘benami’ transaction would be permitted in the State in any case.
