VS kin grabbed land, government tells HC

KOCHI: The state government submitted before the High Court that T K Soman, a relative of Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, grabbed government land by influencing higher officials of the Revenue Department.The government submitted this in an affidavit filed in response to a petition filed by Soman, of North Aryad, Alappuzha, challenging the decision of the government to cancel the allotment of the land  assigned to him when Achuthanandan was the Chief Minister.  The government had decided to initiate a Vigilance probe into the land allotment.  “Usually land is assigned to those who serve in the Army. The petitioner is an ex-serviceman and he is not entitled to get the land. The petitioner had not even produced a formal application,” the affidavit said. Soman was given 2.33 acres of land in Kasargod district with the right  to sell it