The Revenue Department has cancelled the ownership right of 20 acres of land allegedly encroached upon by Joice George, MP, and his family at Kottakambur village in Devikulam taluk.
Devikulam Subcollector V.R. Premkumar has taken the action after Mr. George failed to appear before the officials concerned with documents to prove ownership on November 7, as per the final notice issued to him. The notice had asked Mr. George to produce the documents related to No. 120 thandaper (mutation of property) of land under block number 52, and thandaper No. 111 of his wife, Anupa, mother, Mary, and brothers Rajeev George and Jespin George.
Probe findings
The issue came to light during the last Lok Sabha elections after Mr. George gave an affidavit to the Election Commission that he and his wife owned eight acres at Kottakambur in Vattavada grama panchayat.
An inquiry found that his father, Paliyath George, made fake documents in the name of six Tamil Nadu residents to ‘acquire’ the land distributed by the government to landless Scheduled Tribes. An inquiry by the Revenue Department found that fake documents were made by eight persons on a single day to encroach on the land which falls under the fallow revenue land category.
High Court order
The Revenue Department started stern action on encroachments and illegal constructions in Devikulam taluk after Sriram Venkitaraman was appointed Subcollector. The action on illegal constructions and encroachments was put under scrutiny following a High Court order emphasising the need for protection of the fragile ecology of Devikulam.
Mr. George had earlier produced the ownership documents through a lawyer. The Revenue Department started the crackdown on encroachments in Vattavada, Kottakambur, Kanthallur, Keezhanthur and Marayur villages, issuing notice to landowners to verify their documents.
A report submitted to the government by former Principal Secretary Nivedita P. Haran had said fake documents were made in the five villages to encroach upon government land.
The Revenue Department started verification of land documents based on the report.
