Raja Bhaiya had purchased 27.5 nali land in Siltona village 17 years ago.
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government administration in Nainital district has seized more than half a hectare of agricultural land registered in the name of the wife of Uttar Pradesh MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya. Officials said that this action was taken because the land was not being used for the purpose for which it was taken. It is being told that no farming or farming related work was being done on this land for a long time.
The land has to be used within 2 years
Kainchi Dham Sub-Collector Vipin Chandra Pant said that in the presence of local public representatives and villagers, Patwari (Revenue Officer) Ravi Pandey has booked Uttar Pradesh Zamindari for violating Section 154 (4) (3) (B) of the ZALR (Amendment) Act. The formalities for confiscation of land under Section 167 of the Abolition and Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1950 were completed on Friday. The official said that under Section 154 (4) (3) (B) of the ZALR (Amendment) Act, it is necessary to use the land for the approved purpose within 2 years of its purchase.
Bhanvi Singh’s appeal was rejected
It is believed that Raja Bhaiya and his wife Bhanvi Singh are now living separately. Pant said that 27.5 nali (which is more than half a hectare) land in Siltona village located in Betalghat block of Nainital district was purchased 17 years ago by the MLA from a local resident named Anand Ballabh in the name of his wife. One drain land is equal to about 2.5 thousand square feet. After the Revenue Department initiated action to confiscate the land, Bhanvi Singh challenged the legality of the action in the Commissioner’s Court and the Board of Revenue but his appeal was rejected following which the State Government confiscated his land.
Dhami gave a big statement in Dehradun
It is believed that this land has been confiscated as per the strict law brought by the Uttarakhand government for land in the state. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had recently said in Dehradun that strict land laws would soon be brought in the state to prevent people from purchasing land arbitrarily and ‘land banks’ could be created in the state. He had told that there is a possibility of bringing the land law by the next assembly session. CM Dhami had clearly said that the state government will take back the land which is not being used for the purpose stated by the buyers at the time of purchase and a list of such lands is being prepared.
This action took place after the visit of the Chief Secretary
Chief Secretary Radha Raturi had recently informed the officers about this decision of the Chief Minister during his visit to Kumaon. Raturi had asked the officers to pay attention to those land deals in their areas which are not being used for the purpose stated at the time of purchase. This action has been taken against Raja Bhaiya less than a week after the Chief Secretary visited the area. Raghuraj Pratap Singh is an MLA from Jansatta Dal (Democratic) and represents Kunda seat of UP. He is counted among the strong leaders of the state. (Language)
