Sources in the district administration said, it is trying to ascertain the status of the disputed plot as the lease renewal of Nazul land was stopped several years ago. (representative image)
Ayodhya: Amidst allegations of corruption in the sale of 890 square meters of land in Kot Ramchandar locality of Ayodhya to the Ram Mandir Trust, the district administration is closely examining the 100-year-old record of the British era by burning oil at midnight. To trace the chronology of ownership of the plot which was then under the jurisdiction of the United Provinces of Oudh.
An official told TOI on Thursday that the officials who carried out this massive exercise at the Faizabad collectorate and ‘Nazul’ office in Sadar tehsil have not yet voided the original lease holder.
While a detailed examination of weather-torn documents from the colonial era and post-independence revenue records may shed light on whether the Nazul Deed was renewed after the expiry of the deed, it may also highlight the role of the Faizabad Sub-Registrar Office. Will this one turn a blind eye to the sale of government land twice in recent days.
Curiously, two important clauses are missing in the sale deed of the land purchased by the temple trust – the status of the land whether nazul or private and the PAN number of the seller, Ayodhya mayor’s nephew Deep Narayan and if the land in question is proved by documents. After the investigation of ‘Nazul’ happen, the sale will drop before the mutation process starts in the Tehsil office.
Faizabad sub-registrar SB Singh said, “We are not responsible for checking the ownership of the land during the sale. Tehsil office should be held accountable. When the sale documents will be presented for mutation in the tehsil, it will automatically be stopped as the registration of ‘Nazul’ land is illegal. When asked why the seller’s PAN is not mentioned in the deed, Singh said, “It is the job of the Income Tax Department to track and punish.”
Sources in the district administration said, it is trying to ascertain the status of the disputed plot as the lease renewal of Nazul land was stopped several years ago.
Devendra Prasadacharya, who claimed to be the original owner, sold this plot to Deep Narayan Upadhyay on 20 February 2021 for Rs 20 lakh.
The circle rate of this land as decided by the District Magistrate of Ayodhya was Rs 35.6 lakh.
Upadhyay sold it to the temple trust on May 11 for Rs 2.5 crore, though the circle rate remained the same. Registry records show that Upadhyay mentioned that he had “absolute rights” to sell the plot to the trust.
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