Farmers seek arrests in land dispute case

Tribune News Service
Karnal, June 19

Scores of farmers of the district’s Kalram, Ariapura, Bharatpur, Amritpur Kalan and Lalupura villages protested at the Mini-Secretariat here on Wednesday, demanding arrest of 17 persons, including a patwari and an assistant chakbandi officer, for allegedly tampering with the revenue record during land consolidation in 1995.

They handed over a memorandum, addressed to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, to Deputy Commissioner Vinay Partap Singh.

Pardeep Kalram, who led the protesting farmers, said the State Vigilance Bureau (SVB), Karnal, had registered a case in February against the 17 persons under Sections 166, 167, 218, 409, 420, 466, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC, and the Anti-Corruption Act.

He alleged the police had been lackadaisical in investigating the case. “The inquiry was initiated on the Chief Minister’s direction in November 2015 but, to date, no one has been arrested.”

Kalram alleged one of the accused continued to tamper with the record in connivance with the district administration. He said farmers, who were not given land as per their record after land consolidation in 1995, had been protesting for several years.

SP Shyam Lal Sharma of SVB said the probe was on.

CM ordered probe 

Pardeep Kalram, a farmer, said the VB, Karnal, had registered a case in February against 17 persons under Sections 166, 167, 218, 409, 420, 466, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC, and the Anti-Corruption Act. He alleged, "The inquiry was initiated on the Chief Minister's direction in November 2015 but, to date, no one has been arrested.”