Rajiv Shukla 'gift' land files gutted in Mantralaya fire

After it was revealed that two plots of land reserved for a school were allotted to an organisation owned by Union minister of state Rajiv Shukla for a measly sum, the state revenue department has claimed that there is no such file and it has been lost in the Mantralaya fire.

“The state allotted the plots worth over Rs100 crore for just Rs98,735,” said BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. However, Shukla rejected the charges saying there was no question of any favour by anyone. He said the government could take back the land if it felt a favour had been done.  

The BJP has alleged that the land was given for commercial benefit. Somaiya on Friday said, “For the past three days, we were following up with the revenue department but officials continued saying they are searching for the file. I had filed an RTI but last evening officials told me that the file has been lost.”

“I had an appointment with the officials on Friday. I went there and was told by the under secretary that the file has been burnt in the Mantralaya fire. I have lodged a protest note with the official,” added Somaiya.

He said that when the chief minister has said that all files have been reconstructed, how can they say the file is lost? “It has been taken away to avoid embarrassment to the government and the then chief minister who allotted the plots,” he said.