Naveen Niwas, the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik located in Bhubaneswar, has been dragged into controversy once again.

A PIL filed in the High Court by the Bharatiya Vikash Parishad (BVP)’s Surendra Panigrahi has alleged that Patnaik and his sister Gita Mehta have possessed 2,033 decimal of Government land illegally. The hearing of the PIL has been put off to May 10.

Panigrahi informed this at a Press meet here on Sunday.

According to the Parishad, a patch of 400 decimal of land bearing Khata No 740 and Plot No 1200 given to Navee’s mother Gyan Patnaik in 1991 was in violation of the Government Grants Act 1985.

Similarly, transfer of a patch of 1,355 decimal of land bearing Plot No. 1201, eight decimal of land out of Plot No. 1222 and another patch of 20 decimal land, totaling 1383 decimal, in favor of Gyana Patnaik remained elusive as no records found, alleged the Parishad.

Further, 250 decimal of land out of Plot No.1201/1813 vide Khata No.123 has been recorded in Government records under the possession of Naveen and Geeta.  As per 1962 settlement records, Plot No.1200 belonged to Lord Lingaraj Mahaprabhu and as per the 1989-90 settlement, it belonged to General Administration Department.

Panigrahi wanted to know how both Naveen and Geeta could possess 2033 decimal of Government land.

The Parishad stated that the market price of the above land would worth Rs 100 crore.

The Parishad prayed the High Court to direct both Naveen and Geeta to return the entire land to the State Government and to take stringent action against concerned Government officers.

The petitioner named the Chief Secretary, Revenue Secretary, GA Secretary, Khurda district Collector and Bhubaneswar Tehsildar as parties to the case.