Government Confirms Ongoing Investigation into NoC Scam:
In the High Court, the state government revealed that an ongoing departmental investigation is in progress regarding the alleged no objection certificate (NoC) scam involving a 5,262 square yard of land in Nanalnagar, Gudimalkapur.
Advocate-General B.S. Prasad informed that the inquiry has advanced with the examination of four witnesses, and the 85-year-old Shanti Agarwal, asserting ownership of the disputed land, is scheduled for examination on September 8. The Attorney-General further stated that officials aim to conclude the departmental investigation within a span of six weeks.
This legal matter reached the High Court through a series of appeals filed by senior IAS officer Navin Mittal, who serves as the principal secretary of revenue and chief commissioner of land affairs (CCLA), along with others. These appeals challenge the directives of a single court that initiated the departmental inquiry into the issuance of the NoC for the land.
Furthermore, the single judge’s ruling included the order for a case to be registered against private individuals Abdul Rub, Abdul Rukmuddin, and others. These individuals were accused of presenting falsified documents claiming ownership of the land and securing clearance from the NoC committee. Notably, Navin Mittal, then the Hyderabad collector in 2017, headed this committee.
In light of the pending appeals, the High Court had previously instructed the Advocate General to provide updates on the status of the departmental inquiry concerning both the authorities and the private individuals involved in the NoC issuance.
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