Click to play videoBhubaneswar: A Cobrapost-IBN Network investigation had in November 2011 revealed how judges, IPS officers and bureaucrats from Orissa received plots, meant for the economically disadvantaged, war widows and people with special needs, through the discretionary quota of ministers.
A follow up to that investigation has now shown how it is not just judges, but their children as well who have benefited from the quota.
Orissa is seeing a real estate boom, sprawling bungalows and posh apartments with the land rates climbing every day. And many are cutting corners to acquire prime property.
In 2000, a 4000 sq ft plot was allotted to then Orissa High Court Justice PK Mohanty, by then Urban Development Minister Sameer Dey from his discretionary quota. Ironically, in a 2002 property case, Mohanty himself had ruled that the discretionary land allotments should be for the needy, the handicapped or people recognised in their field.
The guidelines of the government say only one member of a family can be allotted a government owned plot. However, in 2007, another plot was allotted to Justice Mohanty's daughter, Lipi Mohanty, by then Urban Development Minister KV Singh Deo under his discretionary powers.
CNN-IBN has accessed Lipi Mohanty's letter asking for a plot, specifically mentioning the plot she wanted. In August 2007, Deo issued the letter, ordering that the plot be allotted within 24 hours.
A flat in Sector 10 of Cuttack's Abhinav Bidanasi Project is owned by Justice A K Samantarey's son Deepak Samantarey. According to documents, Deepak wrote to KVS Deo on September 26, 2007 and was allotted the flat on the same day.
Justice P K Tripathi's son Saroj Kumar Tripathi too was allotted a flat in Sector 11, also from the minister's quota.
A flat in Sector 10 in the Abhinav Bidanasi Project was allotted to Orissa High Court Justice VK Patel in 2008 again, thanks to KV Singh Deo.
Justice SK Mohanty too benefited from KV Singh Deo's quota, getting a plot in Bhubaneswar Development Authority's posh Mahatvakanshi Multistorey Pariyojana Netaji Subhash Enclave.
Some of the civil judges too benefited. Patnagadh's senior divisional judge, Mohd Ajmal was allotted Flat 13-3C 928 in Cuttack's Abhinav Bidanasi Project in January 2008, after a letter from KV Singh Deo. The minister also happens to be the MLA from Patnagadh.
KV Singh Deo has obliged judicial officers too. In May 2008, Judicial Officer GR Purohit wrote to Singh Deo asking for a plot and was duly allotted Plot No 2D-345.
Our investigations, carried out over the last few months, show that 16 judges from the Orissa High Court have benefited from the minister's quota at some point in time. It is now evident that even children of judges have benefited too. It is a sad comment on the ills of discretionary quota and it is the people of Orissa that are paying the price.
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