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CAG Report Highlights Issues in Chhattisgarh Housing Scheme

RAIPUR: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has identified critical deficiencies in the execution of key welfare and infrastructure initiatives in Chhattisgarh. This includes urban housing, labor welfare, and renewable energy projects, as detailed in the Performance and Compliance Audit (Civil) Report for the period ending March 2023. The report, presented in the state assembly by Finance Minister O P Choudhary on Wednesday, consists of three chapters focused on audit planning, expenditure analysis, the performance audit of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), and a compliance audit of welfare schemes managed by the Labor Department. It…

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Delhi HC fines ‘serial litigant’ for multiple construction pleas

NEW DELHI: On Thursday, the Delhi High Court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on a ‘serial litigant’ who had filed multiple petitions related to illegal construction in the national capital but failed to follow up on them. This decision was made by Justice Mini Pushkarna while reviewing the fifth writ petition from the same litigant concerning illegal construction in the RK Puram area. The judge noted a pattern of filing without follow-through. In an order dated December 2, the court stated, “It is evident that the petitioner is a serial litigant and has submitted a number of writ petitions…

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Lucknow civic body to monitor tax for all properties

LUCKNOW: Following directions from the state government, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation plans to implement a new Property Tax Management System (PTMS) to oversee property tax assessments, collections, and outstanding payments for all residential and commercial properties in the city. This initiative is part of a comprehensive reform of the property tax system led by the state’s urban development department. The current property tax software utilized by LMC will be replaced by PTMS, which will create a detailed digital record of every residential and non-residential property within municipal boundaries. Additionally, the system will be integrated with the Smart City Command and…

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ED Raid at Models Group; Members Granted Anticipatory Bail

PANAJI: The Merces court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Natalina Vaz and her children, Nathan and Danira Vaz, involved in a land-grabbing case under investigation by the ED. Senior advocate S. Kantak, alongside advocate P. Talaulikar, informed the court that the FIR was filed around 15 years ago, and at that time, the accused had no connections to the construction company nor were they named in the FIR. They argued that the matter is solely a civil dispute and highlighted that they fully cooperated by providing all requested documentation to the ED. The complaint alleges that in 2004, Fr.…

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Ahmedabad Developers Allegedly Cheated 95 Buyers of ₹35 Crore

AHMEDABAD: On Wednesday, the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) lodged a complaint involving significant fraud and breach of trust related to a housing project in Chharodi village. It is alleged that 95 buyers were swindled out of approximately ₹35 crore by the developers and their accomplices. The complainant claimed that the developers initiated the project without the necessary RERA registration or NA permissions, collected funds, and subsequently sold off the land. This complaint was filed on December 17 by a 35-year-old software engineer employed in GIFT City, who intended to purchase a 2BHK flat for his family near Vaishnodevi. According…

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Court Denies ARC’s Request for DSK Property Auction

MUMBAI: A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court has denied a request from Encore Asset Reconstruction Company Pvt Ltd (ARC), a secured creditor, to release and auction properties tied to the Deepak Sakharam Kulkarni (DSK) group case. The judge highlighted that the properties in question were not only seized by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the PMLA but were also under the state’s attachment pursuant to the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act. Judge R B Rote remarked, “Considering the circumstances, the applicant cannot vacate the attachment on mortgaged properties nor proceed with the auction. This…

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AP HC requests government response on Vizag IT park land grant

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has instructed the state government to submit a counter affidavit detailing the applications received for land allotment intended for the development of an IT park in Visakhapatnam, along with the policy framework guiding such allotments. However, the court chose not to grant an injunction on the allotment process involving Raheja Corporation Limited. The order was issued in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by G Srinivasa Rao of the Society for Protection of Constitutional Rights, aiming to challenge the allotment of 27.1 acres at Madhurawada IT Hill-3 under the AP Land Incentive…

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SC Limits Activity on 100 Acres of Disputed Shamshabad Land

HYDERABAD: The Supreme Court has instructed private parties claiming a significant 100-acre disputed parcel in Shamshabad and Paigah village, allegedly owned by HMDA, to halt any construction or transfer of property until their appeal is resolved in the Telangana high court. The division bench, comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma, was reviewing a petition from Mohammad Taher Khan, who claims ownership of the land based on specific survey numbers. HMDA (formerly HUDA) argued it had acquired approximately 180 acres in the 1990s, and that when objections arose over the increased compensation amounts, the Supreme Court mandated an enhancement…

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NGT Orders Gaursons Office Attachment, Criminal Action on MD

NOIDA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed strong discontent regarding non-compliance with its previous orders, instructing the Ghaziabad district magistrate to initiate a warrant of attachment against Gaursons Promoters Private Limited’s headquarters and submit a compliance report within four weeks. The tribunal also mandated that a designated officer from the central or state government file a criminal complaint against the developer’s managing director under Section 30 of the NGT Act, which pertains to penalties for environmental non-compliance. The principal bench comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Dr. Afroz Ahmad issued these directions after reviewing a…

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BMC Uncooperative in SIT Probe of CRZ Maps Forgery, HC Told

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is hindering the inquiry into extensive land record tampering allegedly involving public officials who created numerous fraudulent city survey maps in Madh Island, according to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) during a hearing at the Bombay High Court on Tuesday. A bench comprising Justices A.S. Gadkari and R.R. Bhonsale examined the SIT’s findings and witness statements alleging bribery among civic officials, as highlighted by petitioners. The court queried the public prosecutor about the absence of action against the implicating BMC officers despite available prima facie evidence. The prosecutor indicated that inadequate cooperation from BMC…