MUMBAI, 18 March 2008 — In a startling disclosure, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said that a land scam had taken place at a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme in Mumbai’s Juhu suburb.
The revelation by the chief minister comes three days after the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was rocked by loud protests against Revenue Minister Narayan Rane’s alleged handover of prime land in Andheri suburb to a builder.
Deshmukh was replying to a question by legislator Devendra Phadnavis and four others who wanted to know whether media reports were true that an SRA building project at Juhu Taj Society had sold off small plots of land to some of the city’s rich and famous.
The question was raised because land or flats in buildings earmarked for SRA schemes cannot be sold to outside entities and are meant only for rehabilitation.
In a written reply to this question, Deshmukh said: “These reports are true and correct. However, the matter has been taken to the Bombay High Court through a public interest litigation (PIL), and details of these transactions cannot be discussed.”
However, the chief minister revealed the names of some of these rich buyers. “Police investigations into the matter have thrown up such names as Capt. Salariya, Bollywood personalities Zarina Khan and Farah Khan, apart from Rahul Nanda, Ranita Nanda, Dewan Nanda and Sunita Nanda.”
When asked if any action has been taken against the officials who facilitated these deals, Deshmukh said: “The relevant complaint has been registered at the Juhu police station against the errant officials.”
In another development newly appointed state Director General of Police Anami Narayan Roy said that Mumbai will shortly have a full fledged school to train intelligence officers in view of the large number of officers recruited in the Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID).
Under the plan, the newly recruited intelligence officers will be trained separately and will not undergo training a the Maharashtra Police Academy in Nashik, Roy said, and added that the process of recruitment of dedicated intelligence cadre is in full swing and they will undergo training at the new facility.
Soon after the July 2006 serial train bombings, the federal Home Ministry announced that 50 percent of the cadre in SID will be trained exclusively and the officers recruited will retire as intelligence officers. “A nucleus for it ready in the form of the Special Branch training school in Mumbai and we will provide full capabilities, faculties and resources to it,” Roy said.
