Probe land violation cases, HC tells DCs

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, October 10

Taking a serious note on the issue of violation of Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act committed by the Housing Cooperative Societies, the High Court today directed all DCs to conduct a probe and identify such societies.

Passing this order, Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan further directed them to ensure that not only criminal cases were registered against them but appropriate proceedings for having the properties vested in the state would also initiated and submit a report within six months.

The court further directed the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, and the other government agencies, including the Police Department, to ensure assistance for identifying such societies/members who had allotted plots or purchased plots contrary to the provisions of the Act.

The court passed this order on a petition which exposes land scam where a large scale illegal transfers of land is being carried out in the state contrary to the Act. As per the facts of the case, the petitioners, who are non-agriculturists and after becoming members of some housing cooperative society, were allotted plots by the society in contravention to the provisions of the Act.