NoC Scam: Govt says probe is under way

HYDERABAD: The state government on Thursday submitted in the High Court that the departmental enquiry into the alleged no objection certificate (NoC) scam over 5,262 square yards of land at Nanalnagar in Gudimalkapur was under progress.

Advocate-General B.S. Prasad said four witnesses had been examined and the 85-year-old Shanti Agarwal, who was claiming ownership of the land, would be examined on September 8. The A-G said that officials would try to conclude the departmental enquiry within six weeks.

The High Court was dealing with a batch of appeals filed by senior IAS officer Navin Mittal, principal secretary revenue and chief commissioner of land affairs (CCLA), and others, challenging the single court directions issuing for departmental enquiry in the issuance of NoC to the land.

The single judge also ordered the registration of a case against private persons Abdul Rub, Abdul Rukmuddin and others for producing fabricated documents claiming ownership of the land and getting clearance from the NoC committee that was headed by Mittal, then the Hyderabad collector, in 2017.

As the appeals were pending, the High Court had previously directed the Advocate General to inform the status of departmental inquiry against the authorities and private persons.