THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Hyderabad, June 20: The Telangana High Court has issued notices to senior IAS officer Naveen Mittal and several others following grave allegations of forgery, criminal conspiracy, and illegal alienation of government land in Survey No. 284/6 of Guddimalkapur village, located in Nanalnagar, Hyderabad.
The action comes in response to a writ petition filed by Shanti Agarwal, who has alleged that Mittal, in collusion with public officials and private individuals, tampered with land records and fraudulently issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) categorizing the land as ‘Non-Evacuee’, despite its prior classification as Evacuee Property under GO No. 388 dated December 20, 1954.
Court Takes Cognizance, Petitioner Alleges Criminal Collusion
According to the petition, Mittal, then serving in a key administrative capacity, allegedly orchestrated the manipulation of land records and allowed the issuance of a false NOC without Agarwal’s knowledge or consent. She contends that the land has been illegally occupied and commercially exploited.
The petitioner initially filed a criminal complaint before the XII Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Hyderabad, which led to cognizance being taken against multiple accused (A2–A4, A9–A23, A40–A42). However, cognizance against A1 – Naveen Mittal, and other officials (A5, A7) was deferred, pending mandatory prosecution sanction under Section 197 of the CrPC.
Delay in Sanction Under Challenge; Supreme Court Precedent Cited
Agarwal claims that she filed a request for prosecution sanction with the Chief Secretary of Telangana on April 26, 2024, but no decision has been made despite the Supreme Court-mandated three-month window under the Vineet Narain v. Union of India precedent. As a result, she filed a writ petition challenging the inaction.
Justice K Lakshman, presiding over the matter, issued notices to Mittal and other accused and clubbed the petition with related writ appeals previously filed by the respondents.
No Sanction Needed for Personal Criminal Acts, Argues Petitioner
In a related criminal petition, the petitioner argued that no prior sanction is required to prosecute Mittal, since the alleged acts – including illegal occupation and personal profiteering from public land – fall outside the scope of official duties.
It was further alleged that Mittal, along with co-accused Hussain Bee (A2) and Atkher Hussain (A3), was personally collecting rent from the disputed property, which is government land designated as evacuee property.
Taking cognizance of these allegations, Justice N Tukaramji also issued notices to Mittal and the co-accused, directing them to formally respond to the charges.
Serious Legal and Ethical Questions Raised
The allegations raise serious legal and ethical concerns regarding the misuse of official authority, personal enrichment, and possible systemic complicity in land alienation processes. The developments may have far-reaching implications for administrative accountability and governance in Telangana.
Legal experts note that if proven, the charges could result in criminal prosecution, departmental action, and civil recovery of public land, along with possible disqualification from holding public office.
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