Alleged land scam by ‘Assam CMs family,’ Silchar Dist Congress writes to Governor, demands judicial inquiry

Jan. 10: Recently Congress demanded a time-bound SIT probe into an alleged land scam involving the Assam Chief Minister’s family. It alleged that a company owned by Assam CM’s wife and relatives has illegally grabbed government land. On Monday, Silchar District Congress Committee (DCC) took out a protest rally and went to the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Cachar, where they submitted a memorandum to ADC Dipak Jidung in the absence of DC Keerthi Jalli for onward transmission to the Governor of Assam. Congress in its memorandum addressed to the state Governor demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter by a sitting judge of Gauhati High Court.

Later on addressing the media, Congress leader and former Municipal Chairperson Tamal Kanti Banik said, “Assam Pradesh Congress Committee strongly demands to prove into one of the ever biggest ‘Land scandal’ committed by ‘R.B.S. Realtors Pvt. Ltd., a real estate firm co-founded by family members of Dr. Himanta Hiswa Sarma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam by a sitting judge of Gauhati High Court. ‘RBS. Realtors Pvt. Ltd’ purchased 29 bighas 9 lessa Government ceiling surplus land In Kamrup Rural district near L.G.B.I. Airport. This Privated Ltd company has violated all the norms of land Act and land policy of Assam while purchasing the land worth crore of rupees.

“This Firm bought the said land in two phases in 2006-07 and 2009. Land policy 1989 and Ceiling act 1956 have been completely violated during the process of purchasing this particular land. It is pertinent to mention that, according to 1989 Land policy of Assam, if Government Ceiling Surplus Land is allotted to any public society for some public purpose and if the land is not utilized for the same purpose within one year, then the allotted land must be returned to the Government. Again, as per 1956 Ceiling Act and 2019 Land Policy of Government of Assam, allotted land cannot be sold or transferred or given on lease to any party by any means for a period of 10 years and 15 years respectively,” added Tamal Banik.

In the memorandum addressed to the Governor on Monday, Congress wrote, “In 2006-07, Revenue Department of Government of Assam allotted 17 Bighas, 2 kathas and 5 Lessa land in the name of a Fishery and a welfare activity school in North Guwahati. But very mysteriously, RBS. Realtors Pvt. Ltd. purchased this land within a year violating all norms of Land Act and Land policy of Assam. Again in 2009- under Palashban Revenue Circle,  this Pvt. Ltd. purchased another land of 11 Bighas. 3 Kathas and 4 Lessa which were initially allotted to the landless poor people of Bangara Village breaching all rules.”

Congress further alleged that the ‘R.BS Realtors Pvt. Ltd.’ “resorted to manipulation, dishonesty and corruption and infringed all the rules and regulation of Revenue Department as well as Assam Land and Revenue Legislation 1886 Ceiling ACT 1956, Assam Land Policy 1989 and 2019 while purchasing 29 Bighas and Lessas Govt. Ceiling surplus land.”

It is in this backdrop that Silchar DCC wrote to the Governor, “When Chief Minister of Assam round the dock speaks about zero tolerance against corruption and brokers and endeavours to minimize corruption level, how then his own family members get involved in such a big land scandal in Assam? As such, in the greater interest of the people of Assam, Congress demands that an inquiry may kindly be conducted by a sitting judge of Hon’ble Gauhati High Court against such a big land scandal committed by R.B.S. Realtors Pvt. Ltd. belonging to the family members of Chief Minister of Assam.”

District Congress President Pradip Kr Dey, MLA Misbaul Islam Laskar, former Minister Ajit Singh, Partha Ranjan Chakraborty, Tamal Kanti Banik, Atanu Bhattacharjee, Rumi Nath, Sujan Dutta, Sanjib Roy, Sajal Acharjee, Simanta Bhattacharjee and many other Congress supporters were present during the protest rally which ultimately culminated at the office of the Deputy Commissioners. Slogans were raised against Chief Minister and BJP party. Placards displaying demands into judicial inquiry to ‘alleged land scam’ were also exhibited.