Patna, February 26 Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha informed the assembly on Thursday that at least five per cent of original crucial documents had been removed from the records of the revenue and land reforms department, prompting the authorities to launch an investigation.
Sinha also said that the names of the original owners of plots were "deliberately changed" in certain cases.
"This is a serious matter. These documents have been removed or stolen from the records with a hidden agenda by individuals with vested interests. Available information suggests the involvement of the land mafia and officials. At least five per cent of crucial documents are missing from the records," he said.
The department has launched a drive to identify the culprits, including government officials, and strict action will be taken against them, said Sinha, who also holds the revenue and land reforms portfolio.
"Even in certain cases, the names of the original land owners were deliberately changed in some areas by people with vested interests. The state government will certainly recover the missing documents, and those responsible for it will be held accountable," he said.
Raising the issue during question hour, JD(U) MLA Rahul Kumar Singh alleged that at least 60 per cent of the names of the original land owners in his Dumraon constituency were deliberately changed in 1989 by department officials.
"The original owners of such land are facing difficulties in getting it corrected. How did this happen? This matter needs to be investigated, and action should be taken against those responsible," Singh said.
Several MLAs from both the ruling and opposition parties also supported Singh's statement and said that people in their constituencies were also facing the same situation.
Responding to this, the deputy CM said, "Officers have already been instructed to ensure that no land, including those belonging to the government, should be encroached upon by the mafia or individuals using forged documents."
The department will identify officials of the revenue and land reforms department who are colluding with the land mafia, Sinha said.