Indra Kumar Maskey of Biratnagar has captured the property worth around Rs 35 million for the last two years but the administration has done nothing to free the property. [break]
The 63-year-old issued a press statement Saturday claiming that Chief District Officer (CDO) Shashi Shekhar Shrestha has done nothing despite written orders from Home Minister Bhim Rawal and demoralizing her instead.
"You can´t fight these strong people. You better reach a compromise settlement at half the land or Rs 4-5 million," Pokharel quoted the CDO as saying.
"He (CDO Shrestha) sometimes asks me to bring court orders while at other times claims that oral orders from Minister Rawal has delayed proceedings," added the statement. Advocate Kamal Raj Joshi claimed that evacuation of such land doesn´t require a court order but instead returning the property to its owner is duty of they state.
Pokharel had lodged complaint at the District Administration Office, Morang on May 23, 2008 and April 1, 2009 demanding personal safety after Maskey illegally captured the property. "The administration didn´t take initiative even after twice lodging complaints. Instead we started to receive threats from the Maskeys," she revealed.
CDO Shrestha has defied a written order to the district administration issued by Minister Rawal on January 8. "Minister Rawal has ordered many times through phone as well but he says there is no consistency in Rawal´s orders and claims the minister sometimes orders for evacuation while not to do so at other times," she complained.
CDO Shrestha claimed that the case would be decided only after a month. "The case is complex and we are taking initiatives to resolve it," Shrestha told myrepublica.com. The victims claim that Shrestha and Maskey are relatives.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Morang Deep Kumar Thapa said police can evacuate the land within 15 minutes if the CDO gave clear directives. "We are always dedicated to the security of life and property of people and can evacuate it in 15 minutes," DSP Thapa claimed. Maskey didn´t return our calls for response.
Related story
Land mafia register 4.5 bighas of govt land in individual’s nam...
