Indore: High court directs STF to probe irregularities

Source – indiatimes.com

INDORE: The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh high court has directed special task force (STF) of police to conduct a probe into the alleged irregularities related to land associated with Golden Forest (India) Ltd. “In order to protect the properties of M/s Golden Forests (India) Ltd and to find out how many properties have been transferred in different names…, the additional director general of police (STF), Indore is directed to conduct an inquiry and if necessary to register a criminal case,” the court has ruled.

Additionally, Justice SC Sharma also directed a copy of the report to be sent to the expert committee constituted by Supreme Court to protect properties of the Golden Forest (India) Ltd and its subsidiary companies. Justice SC Sharma while disposing the petition filed by Nexus Buildcon also directed Indore collector to take appropriate action against “all such persons, including employees of the state government who are responsible for transfer of land owned by M/s Golden forests (India) Ltd and its subsidiaries in accordance with the law.”

The court, after hearing the arguments of all parties involved, had noted that the land measuring 3.013 hectares in Panda village of Mhow, was in the name of M/s Vikram Construction in the year 1994. In this year, the company sold the land to Kusumlata Mittal and two others, through registered sale deed in favor of Kusumlata Mittal.

“The name of Kusumlata Mittal finds place in the revenue records up to the year 2000-2001. Kusumlata Mittal has sold the land to M/s Ishar Constructions Pvt Ltd through a registered sale deed. Unfortunately, the name of M/s Ishar Constructions Pvt Ltd was not mutated in the revenue record,’ the court has observed.

“The fraud started at this particular stage when the name of M/s Vikram Construction was again mutated in the year 2001-2002, thereafter, it appears that in connivance with revenue officers M/s Vikram Construction has sold the land to the petitioner without their being any title, taking advantage of illegal mutation,” the court has summarized.

Meanwhile, the Golden Forest Company and all its 110 subsidiary companies were found not to be performing as per law, winding up petitions were filed at different high courts across the country, which were transferred to Supreme Court in 2004. In 2006, the Supreme Court passed a restraining order from sale of any movable or immovable property belonging to Golden Forest Company.

While in Indore, Nexus Buildcon purchased the land from Vikram Constructions and applied for building permission in July 12, 2016. Indore collector then on May 31, 2017 quashed the building permission which was challenged before the high court by Nexus Buildcon through the writ petition which was disposed on Friday.