Land records forged: VACB

Doubts about ownership in Pattoor case, it says in affidavit filed before HC

April 11, 2017 01:16 am | Updated 08:48 am IST - KOCHI

The controversial construction site at Pattoor where a sewerage line was diverted by the builder.

The controversial construction site at Pattoor where a sewerage line was diverted by the builder.

The investigation into the Pattoor land grab case has revealed that documents were forged and illegal entries made in the village records kept at the Vanchiyoor Village Office in Thiruvananthapuram, according to an affidavit filed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in the Kerala High Court.

In the affidavit, the VACB said that these findings had raised doubts about the ownership and possession of land owned by the builder. A detailed investigation has to be conducted into this issue.

The affidavit was filed in response to a writ petition filed by Bharat Bhushan, former Chief Secretary and now member of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Ahmedabad, challenging the FIR registered against him in the case.

The Vigilance case was that former Chief Secretary and other accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy and ordered removal of sewerage pipelines of the Kerala Water Authority without its concurrence to facilitate a private builder to construct a high-rise in the upmarket locality at Pattoor.

The affidavit said that the sewage pipeline was laid prior to 1965. In that case, it would conclusively reveal that at the time when the pipeline was laid the property belonged to the government.

Besides, the FIR had clearly made out cognizable offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the accused.

Even the ownership of the property of the builder was doubtful. Therefore, a detailed investigation was needed.

No merit

The claim of the builder and Revenue Department that the sewerage line was passing through the private land had no merits.

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