Ex-Jharkhand min Anosh Ekka, wife sentenced to 7 years RI for illegal land acquisition

The case involves violations of the CNT Act, where Anosh Ekka, while holding office, allegedly used a fake address to facilitate the illegal purchase and sale of tribal land

A special CBI court in Ranchi on Saturday sentenced former Jharkhand minister Anosh Ekka and his wife Menon Ekka to seven years of rigorous imprisonment each in a case related to illegal land acquisition involving violations of the Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act, lawyers said.

Former Ranchi Land Reforms Deputy Collector (LRDC) official Kartik Prabhat, and two other accused Manilal Mahto and Brajeshwar Mahto were sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment each, while five others were awarded four years of rigorous imprisonment each, they said.

"The court also imposed Rs 1 lakh fine each on the convicts, stating that failure to pay the amount would result in an additional year of imprisonment for the accused persons," a CBI legal counsel said.

The case involves violations of the CNT Act, where Anosh Ekka, while holding office, allegedly used a fake address to facilitate the illegal purchase and sale of tribal land.

Prabhat was accused of aiding these transactions.

Large-scale land acquisitions took place in collusion with administrative officials and employees. Properties were purchased in various locations including 22 kathas in Hinoo, 12 acres in Ormanjhi, 4 acres in Nagri, and 9 decimals in Chutia's Siram Toli Mouza. The purchases were made between March 2006 and May 2008 in Menon Ekka's name, he said.

The accused were found guilty of forging addresses to illegally acquire tribal land in Ranchi district, bypassing provisions of the CNT Act meant to protect the rights of the Scheduled Tribes.

The court of Special Judge, CBI, Ranchi, had on Friday convicted 10 accused -- Anosh Ekka, Menon Ekka, Kartik Prabhat, Raj Kishore Singh, Firoz Akhtar, Brijesh Mishra, Anil Kumar, Manilal Mahta, Brajesh Mahto and Parshuram Karketta -- in a land acquisition case in violation of CNT Act.

The central agency registered the case on August 11, 2010, against former ministers Hari Narain Rai and Anosh Ekka and others, following orders from the Jharkhand High Court in connection with two public interest litigations filed in 2008 and 2009.

The CBI stated that between 2006 and 2008, Anosh Ekka purchased large tracts of land in Ranchi in the name of his wife, spending over Rs 1.18 crore. These plots were acquired from members of Scheduled Tribes, violating land protection laws.

The sellers of the plots obtained permission from the LRDC, Ranchi.

"The LRDC, its staff and the circle officers connived with Menon and Anosh Ekka and in spite of the facts, they recommended the transfer of land to her name. The LRDC obtained a favourable report from the staff posted under him for transfer of land," a CBI statement said on Friday.