CBI crackdown on realtor, three officials

BHUBANESWAR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday cracked down on a real estate dealer and three revenue officials in connection with a case of two acre land grabbing at Andharua, on the outskirts of the City.  The CBI teams searched premises of the four at eight places of Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Jajpur and Kendrapara. Important documents, vital to the case, have reportedly been seized. The investigating agency was asked by the Orissa High Court to probe into the case after a petition was filed before the court by Bichitrananda Harichandan, reported to be brother of the real estate dealer in question Subash Samantray. According to CBI sources, Samantray had allegedly got a two acre patch in Andharua village leased in his name in 2008 by influencing  two assistant settlement officers Debaraj Das and Artatrana Mallick and a clerk Bijay Muduli. However when it came to get the land mutation done, a petition was filed before the HC alleging that the work had been held up by the Bhubaneswar tehsildar although lease was available since 1960. The HC saw incongruities in the matter and asked CBI to inquire.  Acting on the HC direction, the CBI searched the premises of the four. Das, by now, has retired from service, while Mallick is currently under suspension. However, the CBI investigation could actually blow the lead off some major land irregularities in the City.  Sources informed that Mallick, is under scanner of the State Crime Branch for his role in the land scam at Shyampur Mouza. The 80 acre land, its value running into several hundred crores of rupees, had been ordered in favour of parivate parties. Though the land belonged to General Administration Department, it did not get any clue of the deals indicating at role of the revenue officials. In fact, Mallick, who was assistant settlement officer here, was posted as Tehsildar at Ganjam’s Jagannathprasad when the scam was unearthed. He was then placed under suspension. CBI sources said his links with the two cases could be crucial.  In 2009, when the Crime Branch busted the Shyampur land scam, it arrested five persons including revenue officials.