Revenue Minister K. Chandrashekharan has directed the Land Revenue Commissioner to inquire into the sale of 278 acres of land that form part of the Rajagiri Estate in Konni by its lessee, AVT company, to another private company, Sky Green Plantations, allegedly in violation of the lease conditions.
In his letter to the Land Revenue Commissioner, the Minister stated that the mutation of the land was also learnt to have been made following high-level pressure on the officials concerned.
The Government Pleader had given a legal opinion against mutation of the land and the mutation process too was made overlooking the legal opinion on the matter, the Minister’s letter said.
The Minister had sought a detailed report from the Land Revenue Commissioner on the circumstances in which such blatant violation of lease conditions had taken place.
The registration of the sale deed was done at the Sub-Registrar Office at Enadimangalam. The Deputy Tahsildar had written in the file that the mutation of 278 acres of land was made following heavy pressure from higher officials.
Meanwhile, officials rejected the request for felling trees on the disputed land on the basis of the legal opinion that it was a government land, official sources said.
Company clarifies
Meanwhile, Sky Green Plantation manager, when contacted, clarified that the company had purchased the land for which the seller used to pay land tax.
He said the company welcomed the government inquiry and bring out the truth behind the deal.