Chhattisgarh Congress leader accuses IPS official of land grab

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel, booked in an alleged irregular land allotment case, today accused a senior IPS official of "misusing his position" to grab a land in Durg district way back in late 1990s.
Baghel alleged thatAdditional Director General (anti corruption bureau/economic offences wing) Mukesh Gupta had reportedly acquired land in an illegal way in Nehru Nagar area of Bhilai while he was posted as Durg superintendent of police.
"An FIR should be registered against ADG Mukesh Gupta and he should be removed as the Chief of EOW and ACB with immediate effect," Baghel told reporters here.
Gupta was posted as SP Durg between August 1996 and September 1998 and was the ex-officio member of the board of directors of Special Area Development Authority (SADA) in erstwhile Madhya Pradesh.

A land (around 6,000 square feet) was allegedly allotted in the name of Gupta in Nehru Nagar, Bhilai by SADA, Baghel claimed.
As per the information available, the then MP government had dissolved SADA on June 8, 1998 and Gupta had made registry of the land on June 9, 1998, he said.

Besides, according to an order issued by Chhattisgarh's Urban Administration and Development Department, Government of Chhattisgarh, all the activities carried out in the name of SADA after its dissolution were illegal, the Congress chief said.
He further questioned how come Gupta got registered his land after the agency was dissolved.

Baghel also claimed that SADA had given land to Gupta at cheaper rate.
Gupta could not be contacted immediately for his reaction.
Alleging that Gupta misused his position to acquire land in an illegal way, Baghel demanded a case to be registered against the officer with EOW and his immediate removal from the top post of the anti-corruption agency.
Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the Congress chief to approach the court, if he has evidence to prove his allegations.
"Bhupesh Baghel is trying to create sensation. If he has evidence to prove his points, he should approach the court," Shivratan Sharma, a senior BJP MLA, said in a statement.

Sharma said Baghel is trying to escape from the case lodged against him by EOW by levellingsuch baseless allegations.
Notably, the EOW has recently registered a case againstBaghel, his wife, mother and then officials of Special Area Development Authority (SADA) in connection with alleged irregularities in allotment of land underMansarovar housing scheme in Bhilai (Durg district)in 1995.
As per the case,as an MLA from Patan constituency in Durg in 1995,Baghelwas then ex-officio member of the SADA that allotted the land in name of his wife and mother reportedly violating the guidelines.
However,Baghelhad rejected the allegations, saying the case is a result of political vendetta.