Gujarat HC orders prosecution of 3 IAS officers

Ahmedabad, Mar 14 (UNI) The High Court today passed orders for prosecution of three IAS officers and three Gujarat Administration Department (GAD) officials, allegedly involved in a land scandal of 2002-03.

The court has given four weeks, as the outer limit for the Chief secretary of the state, to set in motion the process of prosecution under IPC and anti-corruption act.

The three IAS officers are the former chief secretary P K Laheri, Land Reforms Commissioner C K Snehi and Director of Information Bhagyesh Jha. The three GAD officials are Mr V L Patel, Mr K D Kapadia and Ms Lataben Thevar.

A petitioner Mr Parimalbhai Bhatt, through his advocate Mr Manoj Shivshankar Joshi, had filed an application on November 19, 2003, stating that a large-scale transfer of land worth Rs 900 lakh was effected without charging the usual premium as fixed by the state government.

The petitioner had alleged that forging of documents and heavy amount of bribes were paid as the transfer was done in favour of a private builder Kamlesh Nirmal Thakkar, who allegedly paid huge bribes to the IAS officers.

Since prosecution of IAS officers necessarily has to be sanctioned by the concerned state government, the High Court in its order has asked the Chief Secretary to seek the government nod within four weeks.

UNI