Delhi Lieutenant Governor allows probe into bribery charges against revenue officer

​ 

India Today | India 

The ruling Left government in Kerala has told the High Court here that the state was facing a “huge financial crisis”.

The submission was made by the government in an affidavit placed before the court in a matter related to repaying a depositor of the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC) Ltd.

“Our state is now passing through a phase of financial constraints. Any monetary benefit has to be allowed within the financial resources available with the government,” the government contended.

The submission by the government did not find favour with the High Court, which questioned whether Kerala was in a state of financial emergency.

The state also said in its affidavit that the KTDFC and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) can mortgage the property or sell one or two items of the property to outside parties or government agencies to solve their financial issues.

“But, unfortunately, no positive steps have been taken by KTDFC or KSRTC,” it told the court, adding that the two entities together have immovable properties worth about Rs 1,000 crore in the state.

The government also claimed that despite facing a huge financial crisis, it has released Rs 8,440.02 crore to KSRTC for various expenditures from 2018-19 to October 15, 2023.

“Even though the government is supporting Public Sector Undertakings, including KSRTC, in different ways, it is obvious that the government is not legally bound to give financial support to meet its day to day affairs,” it said in the affidavit.

The affidavit came in response to a private company’s plea urging the government to intervene and direct KTDFC to release the money deposited with it by the petitioner’s company.

The contention comes amidst the Keraleeyam 2023, a week-long mammoth celebration announced by the Left government to showcase Kerala’s progress, achievements, and cultural heritage to the world, which commenced on Wednesday.

The Congress-led UDF opposition had boycotted the event alleging extravagant expenditure by the Left administration at a time the state was going through a huge financial crisis.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it has filed a charge sheet under the anti-money laundering law in a case related to alleged fraudulent sale of a Waqf property worth over Rs 10 crore in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow.

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Lucknow took cognisance of the prosecution complaint, the ED’s equivalent of a charge sheet, on Tuesday, the agency said.

In a statement, the ED said its case stems from a Lucknow police FIR registered against some accused identified as Mohd. Mustafa Khan, Saqib Khan and Anush Faridi.

They were charged by the police with alleged fraudulent sale of a Waqf property situated at No.3/1, New Berry Road in Lucknow and valued at Rs 10.92 crore, it said.

The agency said Mohd. Mustafa Khan is the “main accused” in this case. He was arrested by the ED in August and is currently in judicial custody.

During the probe, the ED said, it was found that the said Waqf property was “fraudulently” converted as non-Waqf,… regularised from Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) and sold to some private person”.