BHOPAL, May 1: Two close relatives of former Union minister of state Arvind Netam, will figure in the first phase of the Lokayukta inquiry, beginning from May 1. Virendra Netam, Arvind's brother and Shanti Netam, wife of his other brother and State Forest Minister Shiv Netam, have both been named in the case.

Documents submitted in the Supreme Court in the ``T.H. Godavarman Thirumulkpad versus Union of India and others'' case alleged that Virendra Netam along with five others bought 44.30 acres of land in Badegudra village of Dantewada tehsil for Rs 26.41 lakh in January last.

After acquiring the land, they sought permission to cut the 849 trees in the area. However, the additional commissioner of Dantewara only permitted them to cut over 100 trees. Virendra Netam and the others then made a fresh appeal to the Bastar commissioner. Their appeal was pending before the commissioner when the submissions were made in the Supreme Court.

S R Hiremath, co-ordinator of Samaj Parivartan Samudaya and an applicant in the Supreme Court case, annexed the observations of former Bastar collector B Raja Gopal Naidu to make the following points: The sale deeds are benami with the real purchaser and beneficiary being Virendra Netam; the stamp papers in all the sale deeds were bought by one Vimal Lunia, an influential timber merchant; the sellers are illiterate tribals and were not paid the full amount shown in the sale deeds.

Interestingly, Minister of State for Commercial Taxes, Jalam Singh, a protege of Arvind Netam, was the first to draw attention to the abuse of tribal rights in Bastar district. Based on his report, a two-member committee was appointed to probe the matter. Naidu, who was then the Bastar collector, had based his observations on the committee's report in cases involving Virendra and Shanti Netam.

In his affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, State Revenue Secretary R S Dhakad said, ``since sellers and purchasers are both Scheduled Tribes, there is no necessity to seek the Collector's permission under the provisions of the MP land revenue code''.

However, on demarcation, it was found that the land purchased as ``bandobast records'' are government lands and have been recorded as bade jhaad ka jangal. The concerned revenue inspector ``has been suspended for not looking into the bandobast records before making the demarcation'', stated the affidavit.

The Supreme Court has asked the Lokayukta of Madhya Pradesh to inquire into what has come to be known as the Malik Maqbooja scandal of Bastar. Lokayukta Justice Faizan-Uddin, has directed the three-member committee to take up four cases including the one relating to Badegudra village in the first phase of the inquiry. The committee is expected to submit its report in two months.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.