The Assam State Information Commission has detected irregularities in land revenue records.
“Several appeal cases were received seeking land mutation records in different Circle Offices of Kamrup (M) district. The most common grievance of such appellants was that without their knowledge, lands belonging to them were mutated in the name of some other persons,” information commission said in a statement.
According to commission, when affected persons sought copies of mutation order, land revenue department failed to do so.
“When copies of such mutation orders were sought for by the affected persons under the RTI Act, 2005, they were told that the relevant case records were missing,” it said.
Taking note of the frequency of such missing mutation case records and suspecting manipulation of land records and suspecting manipulation of land records as well as possible involvement of land mafia in collusion with land revenue staff, the State Chief Information Commissioner H.S Das had directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro) to inquire into the matter.
In compliance of the order of the State Chief Information Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner has already filed police cases against several cases of missing mutation case records.
The Commission has also found manipulated land records where there are two sets of land records against the same plot of land in a second appeal case.
The Chitha and Jamabandi maintained in the Circle Office showed the name of one title holder whereas the central records maintained in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro) District, the name of another owner was shown.
As such, the State Chief Information Commissioner seeking an inquiry has directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro) district to ascertain which set of records is correct; whether the land records of the DC Office is correct or those maintained in the Revenue Circle Office.
The Deputy Commissioner has further been directed to take necessary steps for correction of the land records and to fix responsibility.
In course of hearing of the second appeal case, the State Chief Information Commissioner has observed that after scanning and digitization of registered land sale deeds by a private Company in pursuance of an agreement signed between the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro) district and a private company, as part of the e- panjeeyn project, a substantial number of registered sale deeds were found not to have been digitized nor were the hard copies of the registered sale deeds returned by the private company to the office of the Senior Sub- Registrar, Kamrup (Metro) district.
Taking a serious note of the possibility of misuse of such lost registered sale deeds by some unscrupulous elements to the detriment of unsuspecting land owners, the State Chief Information Commissioner has directed the Senior Sub- Registrar to ascertain the actual number of such missing registered land sale deeds while initiating further necessary action.