Mumbai, Mar 25 (PTI) Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrakant Bawankule on Wednesday told the legislative council that a state committee found serious irregularities in 424 land related orders passed in Pune, following which the government sent officials in 13 of the most serious cases on a compulsory leave.
The government cracked down on officials passing illegal orders by misusing the provisions of Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, he said, and ordered a state-wide probe into such irregularities.
In a statement made in the legislative council, Bawankule said a committee headed by the Nashik Divisional Commissioner conducted an inquiry and found serious irregularities in a total of 424 cases.
The committee was appointed to inquire into orders passed in the last five years in Pune district by misusing provisions of the revenue law. The committee carried out preliminary scrutiny of 38,027 cases.
Out of the 2,337 cases where documents were available, 424 cases were found to have been passed by adopting illegal procedures. These 424 cases have been classified into three categories – A, B and C – based on the seriousness of irregularities.
In the most serious ‘A’ category comprising 13 cases, action will be taken to suspend the guilty and initiate criminal proceedings after obtaining legal opinion, Bawankule said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab demanded immediate action and suspension of officials.
Following the demand by Parab, the minister ordered that officials in the ‘A’ category cases will be immediately sent on compulsory leave pending inquiry.
Officials and employees found involved in irregularities in more than 30 cases will be suspended immediately as per the committee’s recommendation, he said.
To deliver justice to the affected parties, the government has decided that all these illegal orders will be reviewed suo motu by senior officers and the original status of the properties will be restored within the next six months, according to him.
Officials responsible for serious irregularities under category ‘B’ will be transferred outside the Pune division to non-executive posts.
Similar committees on the lines of the present one will be constituted across the state to inquire into such cases in other divisions as well and these committees will submit their reports within six months, Bawankule said.
A bill to amend the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code to prevent such misuse of section 155 in future will be introduced in the upcoming monsoon session of the state legislature, he added. PTI PR NP
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.