Charges fly over Rapid Metro ‘land scam’

GURUGRAM: A BJP functionary has accused MCG councillor RS Rathee of illegally earning crores of rupees by leasing out land that actually belongs to the government for the Rapid Metro project.
Raman Malik, a spokesperson for Haryana BJP, has alleged in a police complaint that the land Rathee had leased out to Rapid Metro Gurugram Limited (RMGL) in 2011 is owned by HSVP and a few villagers. Rathee has refuted the allegations, saying he had actually taken the land on lease from villagers before giving it out for the metro project. A case with the regard to the ownership of the land is being heard in the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Malik has also alleged that though Rathee had entered the agreement on April 1, 2011, his company — Gurugram 24x7 Parkers Pvt Ltd — came into existence five days after that.
TOI had in its January 16 edition reported about the alleged land scam. According to HSVP officials, Rapid Metro authorities had entered into multiple lease agreements with private entities for land where stations would be constructed. Over the years, these agencies earned crores of rupees each at a monthly rent of Rs 4.58 lakh, Malik said, adding that the land has been leased out for 99 years.
Malik, who held a news conference on Monday, referred to a 1.59 acre plot — khasra no. 393 — in Nathupur village, which, he said, does not belong to Rathee but is shown in the agreement as such. “But records show the land had been given to one Chameli Devi under the Dholidar agreement for cultivation,” Malik claimed. He said despite the land being given to a villager, it still was a government property. “This is not a land owned by a private individual. In 2009, the land had been acquired by HSVP,” he said.
According to Malik, Rathee’s firm has so far earned Rs 4.81 crore from RMGL in the name of leasing out land. He said RMGL had executed 16 such lease agreements, of which 11 were with Rathee’s firm. “It is shocking that each of these 11 agreements between RMGL and RS Rathee’s company is for lease of land, which is actually owned by the government,” said Malik. He alleged that Rathee had abused his position as an MCG member to make unlawful gains.
Rathee, who had contested the assembly election from Gurugram on an AAP ticket, agreed the ownership of the land was disputed and a case was being heard in the Punjab and Haryana high court. “I am not the owner of the land. The land is owned by multiple villagers. They have leased out the land to my company, which, in turn, entered into an agreement with the Rapid Metro authorities,” Rathee said.
The councillor saw nothing wrong in the land agreement, and said HSVP was supposed to acquire the land but did not. He said the next hearing was scheduled for February 12.
The land scam had come to light after the Rapid Metro project was taken over by the Haryana government in September last year. A committee was formed under the HSVP administrator to examine land lease agreements that RMGL had signed, correction of revenue records, etc.
The committee had also put on hold the rent that was being paid to private agencies. “Private parties had reached agreements with RMGL over land that had been acquired by HSVP. In some cases, there was litigation,” said HSVP estate officer Vivek Kalia. He said some of the land for which rent was being paid was actually not required for the metro project.
Asked about the agreements, an RMGL spokesperson said, “The land lease agreements were executed between 2009-11 with the then holders of possession, who had relevant valid documents. All documents have been given to HSVP. We can’t comment on HSVP’s claims now.”