Indore: Congress raises doubt over IDA building fire

The Congress on Friday raised doubts over Indore Development Authority (IDA) building fire that gutted hundreds of files related to land lease agreements and land allotments, and demanded a high-level probe.

The Congress on Friday raised doubts over Indore Development Authority (IDA) building fire that gutted hundreds of files related to land lease agreements and land allotments, and demanded a high-level probe.

The estate record room of IDA was gutted on Thursday. (Arun Mondhe/HT)

It is feared that many important files related to disputed land agreements between IDA and private people were lost in the fire that broke out in estate records room on Thursday morning.

Congress leader Jitu Patwari on Friday wrote to chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan demanding a high-level probe into the matter.

“Estate records room contained many files related controversial land lease agreements between the IDA and private people. There are several enquires related to land allotment by the IDA are pending before the Lokayukta police. At such an instance, a fire accident destroying hundreds of documents raises doubt,” said the Rau legislator.

It also gives a chance to IDA office bearers to destroy controversial land allotment documents in the guise of fire, he wrote.

A senior IDA official said, “The estate records room contained all kinds of files related to commercial, residential and plot allotments. It will be very difficult to retrieve the lost documents.”

Recent auction of over 1,000 plots in Scheme number 136, 103 and 71 may also get affected due to the fire, the official said.

Important files were not lost in the fire: IDA chairman

IDA chairman Shankar Lalwani on Thursday had claimed that important files were not lost in the fire and an internal inquiry was launched into the matter. He said staff and officials concerned will prepare a list of files that were kept in that room and then only we can say what is lost.