HC grants addl time to ex-DRO to file counter in land compensation case

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has granted a week time to the then-District Revenue Officer (land acquisition) Kancheepuram district to file her affidavit in a contempt case filed against her for granting Rs.190 crores as land compensation to several people who furnished forged land documents as if they surrendered their lands for the Chennai-Bangalore NH road works in Sriperumbudur.

Justice R Suresh Kumar granted additional time for the officer while she was appearing before the court in the contempt case filed by one Rajendran. The petitioner sought direction to punish the then Kancheepuram district collector P Ponnaiah, district revenue officer, and land acquisition Tahsildar Narmada for releasing the compensation to the wrong/illegal beneficiaries despite court orders barring them from granting the compensations.

The prime charge levelled by Rajendran was the authorities granted Rs.20.17 crores as compensation to several people as they claimed the ownership of lands that were actually owned by Rajendran.

During the last hearing, the CB-CID inquiring about the case submitted that it has recovered Rs.20 crores and further investigations are undergoing. Nevertheless, the National Highways Authority of India insisted that it provided Rs.190 crores for the land compensation purpose to the state government.

Therefore, the judge directed the DRO who dispersed the compensation to file a counter affidavit to appraise the court about the proceedings as to how she granted Rs.190 crores to the beneficiaries.

Since the officer sought time, the judge allowed her to take time till January 3 to file the counter.