The Crime Branch (CB) police in Thursday arrested seven persons in connection with the much-talked-about Ghangapatna land scam in the Chandaka tehsil on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
The arrested persons include two Additional Tehsildars, a Revenue Inspector (RI), a Record Keeper and three purchasers of land.Briefing the media, Crime Branch ADG BK Sharma said that apart from the seven arrested persons, around 30 to 40 persons are involved in the 76-acre land scam.It may be pointed out that on the basis of the report by Khordha district Collector Niranjan Sahu and Additional Tehsildar Manas Samal, the Government had ordered a Crime Branch probe into the land scam and had asked for a report within two months.
A 12-member Crime Branch team then conducted an on-the-spot investigation at Ghangapatna and collected information from the local people. On the basis of its preliminary investigation, the Crime Branch arrested the seven persons.“The arrested persons would be forwarded to court later in the day and, if necessary, the Crime Branch will seek permission from the court to take these seven persons on remand for interrogation,” Sharma informed.
Earlier, the Government had ordered suspension of the Tehsildar, Additional Tehsildar, RI and Sub-Registrar of the concerned revenue segment.The Government had also directed the Forest Department to lodge FIRs and initiate appropriate action against the officials involved in the illegal construction of a road along the forest area at Ghangapatna.