Another person was arrested and forwarded to court by Sundargarh police on Thursday for preparing fake record of rights (RORs) of Government land near the NTPC project at Darlipalli and Raidi at Sundargarh.
Earlier the police had identified 63 accused in the fraud and had arrested and court forwarded eight persons. Out of 63 accused, another five persons have taken anticipatory bail and rest 49 persons are absconding.
According to sources, lepripada Additional Tehsildar Ghanshyam Munda had lodged an FIR against some persons on the direction of Sundargarh district Collector Bhupinder Singh Punia. The forgery had come to the fore after four persons, all residents of lepripada block, allegedly had lured some tehsil officials of lepripada to help them prepare the ROR for 6.44 acre Government land in their names. They did it after knowing that NTPC was going to set up a power plant there and had claimed compensation from NTPC on the basis of the land records. The then Additional Tehsildar PC Bipra and two other Tehsil officials of lepripada reportedly had played a major role in preparing the ROR. When land acquisition was started for the NTPC project in 2005, four persons produced the fake RORs and claimed compensation amounting to `1.29 crore. But for some reason, the settlement officials had smelt foul play and had not released the compensation. But the four moved Odisha High Court, seeking direction to NTPC for releasing their compensation. The High Court had directed the then Additional District Mgistrate of Sundargarh to inquire into the matter. During the investigation, the fraud was established.