This is the first ever instance of the national anti-graft body retrieving for the government multi-billion rupees worth of lands from the hands of individuals, through the findings of investigations carried out by its own officials.[break]
According to accumulated data prepared by the CIAA and acquired by Republica, the commission, following in-depth investigations, decided to transfer the ownership of 1,614 ropanis back to the government, concluding that the state-owned lands were illicitly transferred to private individuals under various pretexts.
"Our investigation confirms that the tendency of various vested interests capturing state lands is rampant," said CIAA Secretary Bhagwati Kafle, adding, "Taking control over government lands is a blatant violation of established laws, regulations and norms, but it has become commonplace throughout the country. However, the CIAA will leave no stone unturned to curb this unbridled tendency."
According to data prepared by the commission, the total price of the 1,614 ropanis of government land at nominal current market price comes to Rs 7.3 billion.
"Such a huge amount of money could have gone into the hands of brokers had the CIAA failed to retrieve the lands in the name of the government," CIAA spokesperson Ishowari Paudel added.
The CIAA had formed and deployed nearly half a dozen officers to investigate the land misuse issue following tip-offs that state lands were forcibly transferred to the names of individuals in various parts of the country, taking advantage of the deteriorating law and order situation.
The commission has already asked government agencies concerned, including land revenue offices, survey offices, municipalities and village development committees (VDCs), to immediately retrieve encroached government lands from brokers.
The commission has also filed corruption cases at the Special Court against government officials who were allegedly involved in illicitly transferring state lands.
Out of the total land that the CIAA retrieved over a period of one year, it came across a bizarre scam involving lands at Chapali, Boudhha and Chabahil of Kathmandu district transferred to individuals.
According to CIAA investigations, about 675 ropanis situated in Chapali, Boudhha and Chabahil area in plot numbers 128, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 158, 159, 160 and 162 were unlawfully transferred to the names of Kanchha Lama, Dhruba Lama, Bhawanath Mishra, Madhusudan Mishra and Jayanarayan Phuyal, among others.
On March 17, 2011, the CIAA decided to file case against land revenue officers including Balam Kumar Basnet, Bajraman Yadav, Lalitnarayan Chaudhari, Tara Lama, Bindu Shah and Ramnath Mishra, accusing them of unlawfully transferring state lands to the names of Lama, Mishra, Phuyal and others.
Similarly, the anti-graft body, on April 18, 2011, decided to transfer the ownership of 580 ropanis of state lands situated at Mahadevesthan VDC-9 of Kavre District to the government. CIAA investigation shows that some 30 individuals had captured 580 ropanis located at Mahadevesthan. The commission is also preparing to file case against government officials involved in transferring those lands to individuals.
Likewise, the commission transferred 24 ropanis and 8 aana of land under plot number 251 located at Sudal VDC of Bhaktapur district to the government´s name. Another 46 ropanis under plot number 252 in the same area had also been illicitly transferred to the names of individuals. The commission, on February 25, 2011, transferred ownership of 24 ropanis and 8 aana and another 46 ropanis to the government´s name.
Land brokers had registered 4 ropanis under plot number 76 and about 9 ropanis located at Dharmasthali VDC-9 of Kathmandu in their own names through illegal means. The CIAA probed the matter and directed government officials on June 19, 2011 to retrieve those lands for the government.
Similarly, 22 ropanis of public land situated at Dadhikot of Bhaktapur, 7 ropanis situated at Dhapasi of Kathmandu, 7 ropanis at Thathali of Bhaktapur, 48 ropanis at Dibeshowari VDC of Bhaktapur and 150 ropanis at Dibing VDC of Sankhuwana district, among others, that had been unlawfully registered in the names of individuals, have now been retrieved in the name of the government following CIAA investigations.
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