Gujarat anti-land grabbing law proposes 14 years in jail

GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat government has proposed to bring a new law to curb growing instances of land grabbing by mafia. The draft bill entitled ‘The Gujarat Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, 2020’, which has been prepared by the revenue department, is likely to be tabled in the upcoming monsoon session of the Gujarat assembly next month.
The bill proposes imprisonment of up to 14 years and not less than 10 years for those persons found guilty and convicted of land grabbing, top sources close to the development said. In addition, those found guilty will have to pay fine which may extend up to the ‘jantri’ value of such properties.

If the person contravening provisions of the proposed law is a company, every person, who at the time the contravention was committed, was in charge of the company, will be deemed to be guilty of the contravention and will be liable to be proceeded against.
Government sources said the bill was to be introduced in the last budget session, but it could not be debated and put to vote because of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Bill attempts to put curbs on land mafia
Top officials in the revenue department said that the bill is aimed to curb growing attempts by land mafia operating either in individual capacity or in a group to grab by force, or by deceit, lands belonging to the government, a local authority, a religious charitable institution or endowment as well as private individuals.
“The land grabbers are setting up fictitious claims and indulging in large scale and fraudulent sales of land through unscrupulous real estate dealers or otherwise. Such unlawful activity needs to be stopped with a stringent law,” said a senior official.