Crime Branch To Probe Land Grabbing Case Against OTV Group Subsidiary

Bhubaneswar, Oct 15: The Khordha district administration has launched an eviction drive to remove encroachments in Sarma, a day after the Odisha government requested the crime branch to start investigation into the alleged land grabbing by Odisha Infra Tech Pvt Ltd.

The drive was started in the presence of the local tehsildar and police. It was alleged that Rayati lands belonging to the Scheduled Caste persons in Begunia Tahasil were sold in favour of Odisha Infra Tech Pvt Ltd through a benami transaction through Shri Rabindra Kumar Sethy, an ex-drive, ORTEL.

The villagers had earlier alleged that the company had constructed huge walls, houses and ponds on the land and were trying to prevent them from entering their farm land. The villagers even staged a dharna in from of the Collectorate Office in Khordha.

The locals also alleged that the company's representatives were forcing them to sell their land at throwaway prices.

On October 1, an investigation was conducted at the administrative level after scores of people of Sarua, Jayamangal and Goudaput villages held a demonstration over the land grabbing in the area by the Odisha Infra Tech Pvt Ltd.