Bhubaneswar: In a decisive move, the Odisha government has suspended two revenue officials linked to alleged misconduct in the registration of 4.40 acres of land in Nuapada district.
On August 25, the Revenue and Disaster Management Department issued suspension orders for Sarbeswar Jal, the Tahasildar-cum-Ex-Officio Sub-Registrar of Komna. The decision was made under Rule 12(1)(a) of the Odisha Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1962, with immediate effect as the government plans to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him.
During his suspension, Jal will be stationed at the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Northern Division) in Sambalpur and is required to obtain prior authorization from the RDC before leaving the headquarters.
In a separate incident, Ramnath Mishra, the Assistant Revenue Inspector (ARI) at Komna Tahasil, was also suspended by the Collector and District Magistrate of Nuapada. This action was taken due to alleged failures in fulfilling his official responsibilities related to the same land transaction.
This suspension followed media reports in July that highlighted a potentially fraudulent sale and registration of the 4.40 acres of land located in Mouza Chandopala, under Khata No. 49 in Komna Tahasil.
In response to these reports, the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Nuapada was tasked with conducting a thorough investigation and providing a report on the findings.
The inquiry revealed that Mishra was attached to the Komna Sub-Registry Office and was responsible for tasks related to land registration. It was noted that while an Aadhaar authentication iris device was available at the office, it was reportedly not utilized during the land transaction.
The ADM’s investigation uncovered lapses on Mishra’s part, including neglect of his government duties and failure to adhere to the Aadhaar authentication process. As a result, the report suggested that departmental proceedings be initiated against him, which led to his immediate suspension by the Collector under the same rule as Jal.
