The Jayalalithaa government has set up special cells to deal with landgrab cases covering the previous DMK regime.
The AIADMK Government restored grabbed land totally worth over Rs415 crore to the rightful owners in the past three months since it came to power, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Wednesday said in the state Assembly.
Speaking during the debate on grants for the Home department, a portfolio held by her, she said a total of 8,947 complaints regarding landgrabs had been received as on August 17, 2011 and 419 persons arrested.
Land worth Rs415.48 crore had been restored to rightful owners, she said.
The Jayalalithaa government has set up special cells to deal with landgrab cases covering the previous DMK regime, a move dubbed by the arch-rival as political vendetta.
DMK strongman from Salem and former minister Veerapandi S Arumugam, sitting and former MLAs J Anbazhagan and Ranganathan and some close aides of Union Minister MK Azhagiri have been arrested in connection with landgrab cases.
Jayalalithaa said he government had ordered constitution of Special Fast Track Courts to deal with landgrab cases. Complaints of landgrab had been received during DMK rule also, but police could not act as their "hands were tied," she said. Now they have been given complete freedom to act.
She slammed the DMK when she said many from the party including those close to party chief M Karunanidhi and his family had 'interefered' with police affairs when the party was in power.
Replying to CPI member N Nanjappan (Pennagaram) who alleged of some policemen were also involved in certain land grab cases, Jayalalithaa said "we won't hesitate to act against criminals in any department."
Action would be taken against police officials facing charges, she said but added allegations against officers, both IAS and IPS, should be backed by proof.
Jayalalithaa said it was not easy to act against officials as they had the support of their colleagues and the government had to work with existing batch of officers.
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