Calling it a huge scam, the government said it had the potential of doing away with all the debt of the state government. On Thursday, it passed a Bill to do away with the leased lands and take money from lease holders who sold the land retrospectively since 1966.
The state government on Friday said it will launch a high-level probe into all the leased lands in the city that were sold without the government permission or where the government did not receive its due.
Calling it a huge scam, the government said it had the potential of doing away with all the debt of the state government. On Thursday, it passed a Bill to do away with the leased lands and take money from lease holders who sold the land retrospectively since 1966.
The matter came up during the Question Hour, when members raised the issue of a plot of Lower Parel land where the Shapoorji Bharucha Mill stood earlier. The plot was sold off, which led to a loss of Rs300 crore in revenue for the government. "This is a case of absolute fraud. I would want to know if the government will stay it and conduct a high-level inquiry into the matter," said Ashish Shelar, MLA from Bandra (W) constituency.
Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil said, "It is not the only plot. Over 1,250 plots were leased that were then sold and the money was not given to the government. When the government objected, they said there was no rule stating that they were supposed to inform the government or give it any share. That is why we passed the Bill with a retrospective effect, so that we can recover that money. It can do away with the state's debt."
Sangola MLA Ganpatrao Deshmukh said, "According to the information I have, there are over 700 such plots whose lease has expired. Why is the government not acting on it? There needs to be a committee appointed to probe this."
"As per the information, there are, in fact, over 800 plots whose lease has expired. This is a huge scam and a proper inquiry will be done. In this case, the collector has given a preliminary report and it is being looked into," said Patil.
Kandivli (W) MLA Yogesh Sagar said, "There are chances that officers who are reporting to the collector are involved too. In such a case, there should be an inquiry by a judge." Kandivli (E) MLA Atul Bhatkalkar said, "Even the minister in whose tenure the order was given to amalgamate different plots should be probed." Patil said a proper investigation will be conducted by high-level officials.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ajoy Mehta")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}