Ambala Divisional Commissioner sets aside a land order

Ambala, Aug 24 (PTI) Ambala divisional commissioner Sanjeev Verma has set aside a land order passed by predecessor Renu Phulia, who in a quasi-judicial order on September 13, 2023, vacated a 20-year-old stay on the sale and purchase of a land parcel of 14 acres near Panchkula.

The September 2023 order passed by the then Ambala divisional commissioner and senior IAS officer Renu Phulia had vacated a 2003 stay order of collector (agrarian), Panchkula, on the sale-purchase of a land parcel near Panchkula which originally belonged to a ruler.

The then divisional commissioner Phulia's kin were set to purchase a portion of the said land, it had been alleged then. It had also been alleged that her husband, now a retired IAS officer, and son had already entered into an agreement to purchase a portion of the same land.

However, later it had been halted after Panchkula revenue officials flagged discrepancies.

It had been alleged that Renu Phulia took just a fortnight to decide the petition filed by a former IAS officer's brother who had approached revenue officials in Panchkula to register nearly 12 acres of land.

Sanjeev Verma in his August 19 dated order recalled Phulia's decision.

"The prospective vendees of the land were husband (now retired IAS officer SS Phulia) and son of the then presiding officer, which clearly proves the malafide on her part in passing the order dated September 13, 2023," Verma said in his order.

Verma, in his order, observed that "it has been further contended that the then presiding officer was personally interested in the matter as there had been bargain to purchase the aforesaid land...and an agreement in this regard was already executed between her husband (now retired IAS officer S S Phulia) and her son".

The case involved land in Beed Firozadi village, Panchkula, once owned by heirs of a former king and Verma's court acted on an application by the collector (Agrarian), Panchkula, which had sought to recall Phulia's September 2023 order. PTI SUN NB NB