16,015 cases of evasion of stamp duty in TDR transactions detected

Nagpur, Nov 23 (UNI) A total of 16,015 cases of evasion of stamp duty in Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) transactions had been detected in 5 divisions of the state since 2003, Minister for Revenue Narayan Rane told the Legislative Assembly today.

In a written reply to Ramdas Kadam (Shiv Sena) and others, Mr Rane said that the scrutiny of 2,806 cases had been completed and notices issued therein, while documents were being obtained in the remaining 13,209.

The amount of stamp duty recoverable could be ascertained only after obtaining the relevant documents, Mr Rane said, adding that there was a provision for the recovery of the duty along with a fine in the Stamp Act. An amount of Rs 1.08 crore had been recovered in 625 cases, while Rs 18.37 crore was to be recovered in 2,181 other cases, he said.

Mr Rane said that nobody had been found guilty as involved or as giving encouragement in these cases therefore, no action had been initiated.

The government had imposed a fine of Rs 24 lakh on Ballarpur Industries Limited of Chandrapur for causing damage to forests by allowing sludge from its factory in Ballarpur in the district to seep into it, Minister for Forests Babanrao Pachpute told Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) and several others in a written reply.

The fine had been imposed for causing the damage and for compensatory afforestation, Mr Pachpute said. White sludge from the factory had spread over 2.75 hectares of forest land after heavy rains in the area on September 7 last, he said.

An offence had been registered against the factory management vide sections 2 (iv) (a) and 33 (i) (a), (c) and (f) and 52 of the Indian Forest Act, he added.

UNI