Defence estates officer Geeta Kashyap Perti said that an internal board of officers was convened by the MoD. Further that as DEO, she had sent a report dated November 6, 2010, to her superiors.
After telling the Adarsh Inquiry Commission that there is no record to show that the land on which the Adarsh building stands is owned by the ministry of defence (MoD), defence estates officer Geeta Kashyap Perti on Wednesday said it is ‘disputed’.
Perti stated this in her reply during cross-examination by the commission’s counsel Dipan Merchant when he asked her if she was aware of any record to show that the land was handed over by MoD to the state government. Merchant referred to an affidavit filed by KV Nayar, under secretary in MoD, in the case before the Bombay high court stating that army/MoD was in possession of the entire land and was asked to hand it over to the state government. “Are you aware that such possession was ever given by the army to state government?” asked Merchant. Perti replied that she was not aware of it. She said DEO normally would know of handing over of defence lands. However, she said it is incorrect to say that since the Army was not in possession of the Adarsh land, defence estates office does not have any record regarding handing over of possession of the land. “Why is it not correct?” asked Merchant. “It is a disputed piece of land,” replied Perti.
When questioned on what steps, including moving a court of law, were taken to “recover possession of the land and solve the dispute”, Perti replied that an internal board of officers was convened by the MoD. Further that as DEO, she had sent a report dated November 6, 2010, to her superiors. “DEO cannot suo moto institute court proceedings until given instructions,” she added. Perti said she is not aware of any suit filed by the MoD or DEO to recover possession of the land or to settle the dispute.
Perti said she was aware of the Adarsh building coming up after she took over in October 2008. Asked whether she informed her superiors about Adarsh being a security threat, she replied that she had not. The commission will cross-examine major SK Lamba of the Mumbai Citizens Group on Thursday.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}