Retired Odisha forest official arrested in land scam

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Oct 13, 2015 at 7:49 PM Updated On : Oct 13, 2015 at 7:51 PM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Baripada, Oct 13:

Police today arrested a retired Divisional Manager of Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) in connection with fraudulent transfer of leased land in the name of a construction firm 16 years ago.

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The retired OFDC official– Purna Chandra Senapati—is accused of transferring a leased plot, measuring over 7 acres of OFDC at Palbani in Baripada town, in the name of a construction firm in 1999 after the death of the original land owner.

Subsequently, it was registered in the name of Ranjit Mohanty, Managing Director of Minakshi Builders Private Limited (MBPL).

Notably, the change of ownership in the land records was cancelled by Mayurbhanj District Collector Rajesh Pravakar Patil last month.

Earlier on September 29, Ranjit Mohanty was arrested by Crime Branch sleuths from Bhubaneswar for illegally converting 7.24 acres of forest land at Palbani area here into homestead land and taking possession of it fraudulently in 2009. He had also availed a loan of several lakhs by mortgaging the land.

Former Tehsildar of Baripada Baidyanath Kar, Sub-Registrar of Betnoti, a Revenue Inspector and an amin have been named as co-accused in the land scam.

arrested baripada