Take action against Revenue officials over illegal land transfer in Narsingi, orders HC

Declaring the action of authorities ‘illegal’ in altering ownership details in Dharani portal and revenue records of two acres of land in Narsingi on Hyderabad outskirts, Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy of Telangana High Court directed the State government to initiate ‘suitable disciplinary action’ against Revenue officials responsible for the transaction.

The judge pronounced verdict in a writ petition filed by a private company questioning action of Revenue authorities transferring rights over the property to another private party despite the HC having already issued an order to maintain status quo in the matter. The two acres of land was mutated without issuing notice to the petitioner and the Pattadar passbook was issued to another private party contrary to the law laid by a Full Bench of this HC in Chinnam Pandurangam’s case, the order said.

“These things cannot take place without the support and connivance of the Revenue authorities, who are also parties to the writ petition no. 9522 of 2014,” the judge said. Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy noted the action of the then Rangareddy District Collector, RDO and MRO of Gandipet, Special Tribunal and the private party (on whose name the land was mutated) amounted to not only undermining authority of the HC but also playing fraud.

“If such actions are allowed to be continued, the public will lose confidence in the system and the institution,” the judgement said. The judge instructed the authorities to restore entries in the revenue records on the name of the petitioner as existing when the HC passed an order in 2014 in the matter, within four weeks of receiving the order.

The private party in writ petition no 9522 of 2014 suppressed facts and played fraud to acquire the land. “Such action on the part of the private party is declared as mala fide, fraud, suppression of fact and sheer abuse of process of law,” the judge observed. The judge imposed costs of ₹5 lakh on the private party. The amount was to be deposited the High Court Legal Services Committee-Hyderabad.