2 suspended in Srinagar defence land scam

New Delhi, Mar 28: Government has ordered a CBI inquiry into an alleged land scam in Srinagar and a Defence Estates Officer (DEO) and a Sub Divisional Officer have been suspended following preliminary investigations, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

"On receipt of complaint in a matter related to issuing of no objection certificate of defence land at Srinagar a preliminary enquiry was conducted... One DEO and one SDO (Grade-I) of the Defence Estates have been suspended," Defence Minister A K Antony said in a written reply.

In order to get the matter thoroughly investigated and fix responsibility, the Government has entrusted the responsibility to CBI, he said. In reply to a question on another case in Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh, Antony said that disciplinary action has been initiated against the DEO there.

"A lease agreement for defence land in Secunderabad Cantonment was executed irregularly by the DEO with the Hyderabad Cricket Association in 2010. Disciplinary action has been initiated against the then DEO of Secunderabad," he said.

He also said that an inquiry is going on after a portion of land in a Jodhpur village in Rajasthan under the occupation of the Local Military Authority was vacated in 2007.

Replying to a question on transfer of defence land for civic projects in Pune, he said, "11 proposals have been received from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for transfer of Defence land for various civic projects." While nine proposals are related to widening of roads, two are for construction of Railway Over Bridge and flyover.

"The proposals are pending mainly due to non-availability of NOC from Local Military Authorities, non-finalization of site and non-submission of revised proposals from Pune Municipal Corporation," he said.

PTI