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House on shamlat land: Probe indicts MLA Kotfatta’s father
Additional deputy commissioner (general) Poonam Singh said that the detailed examination of revenue records confirms that the land in question is owned by the Bathinda municipal corporation and procedural action is underway in the matter of land encroachment.
An official investigation by the district authorities has indicted Babu Singh Rattan, father of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Bathinda (Rural) Amit Rattan Kotfatta, for constructing a house illegally on the shamlat land.
Additional deputy commissioner (general) Poonam Singh said that the detailed examination of revenue records confirms that the land in question is owned by the Bathinda municipal corporation and procedural action is underway in the matter of land encroachment.
“A complaint was filed with the administration alleging that Babu Singh Rattan got a piece of land registered on a particular khasra number but built a house on the public land which had another khasra number. A committee of revenue experts was constituted and it was found the residential construction was done on the encroached land. Various parties involved in the case will soon be served with notices for further action,” the ADC said.
The land measuring more than two bighas or 2,000 square yards is located adjacent to the Ring Road near Bir Talab village on the city’s periphery.
Official sources said construction on the site started last year.
A visit to the site on Tuesday revealed that the semi-built house was locked and no one was present there.
Complainant Pritpal Kumar said on Tuesday that the administration should also probe the role of the officials from the Bathinda municipal corporation.
Babu Singh Rattan, who retired as an income tax commissioner, was unavailable for comments.
MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta rubbished the findings of the administration and said the family would challenge the report in court after receiving a notice.
“My father retired as a class 1 officer and is well-versed with rules. He bought the land last year and got it registered after paying all the taxes. Had there been any illegality, why the authorities registered the same? We have not been heard and all legal remedies will be adopted by the family to fight the malicious accusations by the district administration,” MLA Kotfatta added.
The first-time MLA is out on bail in a case of alleged political corruption. Kotfatta was arrested by the vigilance bureau in February after his close aide Rashim Garg was nabbed red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹4 lakh in Bathinda.
