BHOPAL (TIP): Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and members of two different charitable trusts run by his family have been accused of illegally selling prime government land to a realtor in Gwalior. A businessman from Gwalior lodged a complaint with the state economic offences wing (EOW) on March 27 seeking a detailed investigation. Though there are multiple disputes involving Scindia’s properties, this case pertains to prime property in Gwalior.

“The Kamla Raje Charitable Trust sold 0.146 hectares of land to Narayan Builders and Developers Ltd through Jyotiraditya Scindia Charitable Trust despite it being declared a government land by high court in 2006,” said complaint Surendra Srivastava. The Gwalior bench of the high court had declared it government land on April 3, 2006. “Twenty-four days after the high court order, members of these two charitable trusts sold this piece of land to the builder in connivance with officers of the revenue department,” Srivastava said.

According to records of revenue department, the land was sold for Rs 95 lakh on April 27, 2006. He also accused government officials of being involved in the scam. “While revenue officers cleared documents, officers of the Town and Country Planning diverted the land,” Srivastava said. The builder dismissed the allegation and said he had procured a legal piece of land from Scindia. “We had verified documents before buying land. There is no illegality in the deal,” said Paras Jain, proprietor of Narayan Builders and Developers. A project of Rs 200 crore is proposed on this land. The complainant claims this land was government property between 1948 and 1989. In 2004, the local administration moved court against the trusts after they claimed ownership.