Ghaziabad: Lekhpal names deceased in FIR against land mafia, suspended

Lekhpal Brijpal Singh had lodged an FIR against 13 persons at the Modi Nagar police station on June 27, under the provisions of the Damages to Public Property Act, 1984.

A lekhpal (accountant) was suspended after one person of the 13 named in an FIR pertaining to land mafia case was found to be dead. The district magistrate suspended the official and initiated an inquiry.

Ghaziabad , India - June 30 The DM has suspended a Lkhpal who allegedly named a deceased man in an FIR lodged under the anti land mafia campaign. An inquiry is initiated . in Ghaziabad,India, on Friday, June 30 , 2016. (Photo by Sakib Ali /Hindustan Times)

Lekhpal Brijpal Singh had lodged an FIR against 13 persons at the Modi Nagar police station on June 27, under the provisions of the Damages to Public Property Act, 1984. But the list of 13 accused included one Dharamveer, who is dead. He was from Asalatnagar locality.

“During the inquiry, the lekhpal will be called to explain the events leading up to naming a deceased person. Prima facie, it seems that he inadvertently named the deceased instead of his son and brother. However, the inquiry will be conducted to ascertain all facts,” said Prem Ranjan Singh, officiating subdivisional magistrate.

The 13 persons were named in the FIR after they were allegedly found occupying land chunks numbered 93, 94 and 96. The FIR was lodged under the ‘anti-land mafia’ initiative of the state government.

Under the directions, different agencies have been asked to identify encroachments on government land and lodge FIRs against land mafia and those who illegally sold government land to the public.

In all, the Ghaziabad district officials have identified nearly 317 hectares that are illegally occupied and encroached upon in different jurisdictions. Also, land belonging to agencies such as Ghaziabad development authority (GDA), Avas Vikas Parishad, UP state industrial development corporation, among other agencies, has been encroached.

According to official records, nearly 45 hectares of encroached land has been freed and a total of 5,086 persons responsible identified. The survey of was conducted after the Uttar Pradesh government asked for strict enforcement of land mafia and also ordered for the formation of ‘anti-land mafia task force’ to free the valuable land.