JODHPUR: The farmers who lost their lands in Phalodi tehsil in Jodhpur to two companies from Mumbai and New Delhi are collecting papers to initiate legal action against the two companies.
The farmers had planned to launch an indefinite sit-in from Thursday, but shelved it after district administration assured to take action against the two companies.
Meanwhile, the number of cases continued to grow with more and more farmers coming forward stating that they were cheated. While the number of victims is growing fast, the state government had transferred SDM (Phalodi),Rajendra Singh Rathore along with ADM (I), Harji Atal – the two officials entrusted by the district collector to probe the scam.
Many have cited the role of some influential people in the scam, who in connivance with government officials got these lands registered in the name of two companies, M/s Maitraye Services P. Ltd., Mumbai and Ashapuri Developers P. Ltd , New Delhi. One farmer claimed that these people were using all tactics to influence the probe. Because of the influential people, the issue took long to come out in the open and local police did not take much interest in investigating the matter, forcing them to go to the court for registering the case.
Kirta Ram Meghwal, advocate of the farmers, said the news of this cheating had sent shivers down the spines of farmers in the region and all of them are now eager to know the status of their land.
Unfortunately, the number of such farmers has reached close to 100. He said that there is a set of procedure which needs to be strictly adhered to, while executing the registry or agreement of sale but all of them were surprisingly flouted.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Private firms dupe farmers of over 2,000 bighas in Jodhpur
JODHPUR: Two real estate companies -- one based in Mumbai and the other in New Delhi -- have allegedly duped hundreds of farmers of more than 2,000 bighas of agricultural land spread across several villages near Phalodi town in Jodhpur district.
In one case, the entire land of Mandali village, measuring 632 bighas, belonging mostly to Rebari tribe, has been "sold".
The two companies are identified as M/s Maitraye Services P Ltd, Mumbai and Ashapuri Developers P Ltd, New Delhi.
Though the district administration has set up an inquiry committee, complicity of officials is not ruled out since the properties in question were registered in the names of the two companies at registrar offices. The sale deeds were executed at registrar offices in Shergarh, Jodhpur, Bilara and Bhopalgarh.
Jodhpur collector Siddharth Mahanjan told TOI on Tuesday that tehsil officials had been asked to stop mutation of all lands registered in the name of the two companies. "Without mutation, ownership is not transferred," he said.
Jodhpur ADM Harji Atal said: "The collector has ordered a joint inquiry by DIG (registration) and SDM (Phalodi) and three cases have been registered so far." He said that 26 cases of forged registrations had been noticed in which 2,276 bighas of land were sold bringing a revenue of Rs 32.76 crore to the state exchequer.
"The enormity of transactions and registrations were not possible without the consent of district officials," said a farmer, preferring anonymity. Villagers alleged that the company representatives took out copies of "jamabandi" (land-sharing records) and fabricated documents using same names but wrong photo and voter ID card.
"They chose single-owner land rather than multiple owner lands to ensure that the registration process happens smoothly," said Hajari Ram Godara, a farmer, whose several bighas of land fell prey to the forgery. "These lands have been sold in about 13 villages," Godara said.
The villages where the land sale took place are Kanasar, Neva, Mandali, Sanwar, Revara, Modakiya, Tekara, Raneri, Jamba, Luna, Kansingh ki Sid, Jaisala and Kelasar.
Counsel for the aggrieved farmers, Kirta Ram Meghwal said the matter came to the notice of the villagers a fortnight back following which they approached the police and district administration. "Initially, officials were reluctant, but swung into action when several cases came to the fore," he added.
SDM (Phalodi), Rajendra Singh Rathore, who is investigating the forgery, said the exact figures are yet to be ascertained as they have asked sarpanches to write an application to the DIG (registration) to take out papers of these deals from respective sub-registrar offices. "We would be able to know how many farmers have been cheated once we see the papers," he added.
More than 200 villagers held a meeting at Bishnoi dharmshala in Jodhpur and resolved to launch an agitation in case their land ownerships were not restored. "We are collecting details about other lands too as there is a possibility that hundreds of farmers have been cheated," said Jaswant Singh Bishnoi, ex-MP, Jodhpur.
Despite repeated efforts, the two company representatives could not be contacted.
In one case, the entire land of Mandali village, measuring 632 bighas, belonging mostly to Rebari tribe, has been "sold".
The two companies are identified as M/s Maitraye Services P Ltd, Mumbai and Ashapuri Developers P Ltd, New Delhi.
Though the district administration has set up an inquiry committee, complicity of officials is not ruled out since the properties in question were registered in the names of the two companies at registrar offices. The sale deeds were executed at registrar offices in Shergarh, Jodhpur, Bilara and Bhopalgarh.
Jodhpur collector Siddharth Mahanjan told TOI on Tuesday that tehsil officials had been asked to stop mutation of all lands registered in the name of the two companies. "Without mutation, ownership is not transferred," he said.
Jodhpur ADM Harji Atal said: "The collector has ordered a joint inquiry by DIG (registration) and SDM (Phalodi) and three cases have been registered so far." He said that 26 cases of forged registrations had been noticed in which 2,276 bighas of land were sold bringing a revenue of Rs 32.76 crore to the state exchequer.
"The enormity of transactions and registrations were not possible without the consent of district officials," said a farmer, preferring anonymity. Villagers alleged that the company representatives took out copies of "jamabandi" (land-sharing records) and fabricated documents using same names but wrong photo and voter ID card.
"They chose single-owner land rather than multiple owner lands to ensure that the registration process happens smoothly," said Hajari Ram Godara, a farmer, whose several bighas of land fell prey to the forgery. "These lands have been sold in about 13 villages," Godara said.
The villages where the land sale took place are Kanasar, Neva, Mandali, Sanwar, Revara, Modakiya, Tekara, Raneri, Jamba, Luna, Kansingh ki Sid, Jaisala and Kelasar.
Counsel for the aggrieved farmers, Kirta Ram Meghwal said the matter came to the notice of the villagers a fortnight back following which they approached the police and district administration. "Initially, officials were reluctant, but swung into action when several cases came to the fore," he added.
SDM (Phalodi), Rajendra Singh Rathore, who is investigating the forgery, said the exact figures are yet to be ascertained as they have asked sarpanches to write an application to the DIG (registration) to take out papers of these deals from respective sub-registrar offices. "We would be able to know how many farmers have been cheated once we see the papers," he added.
More than 200 villagers held a meeting at Bishnoi dharmshala in Jodhpur and resolved to launch an agitation in case their land ownerships were not restored. "We are collecting details about other lands too as there is a possibility that hundreds of farmers have been cheated," said Jaswant Singh Bishnoi, ex-MP, Jodhpur.
Despite repeated efforts, the two company representatives could not be contacted.
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