2 absconding govt officials held in land ‘scam’

Raipur: Two absconding revenue officials, wanted in the alleged Bharatmala land compensation scam linked to the Raipur–Visakhapatnam economic corridor, were arrested by ACB/EOW, after they were found to be involved in coordinated fraud that charged the state exchequer of Rs 32 crore through forged records and manipulated land acquisition processes.Officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) said the accused Shashikant Kurre, the then tehsildar of Abhanpur, and Lakheshwar Prasad Kiran, the then naib tehsildar of Gobra-Nawapara were on the run after the agency registered a case last year over alleged irregularities in land demarcation, mutation and ownership transfers in villages under Abhanpur during land acquisition for the highway project in 2021–22.Investigators allege the duo misused their official positions and conspired with subordinate staff, including patwaris and revenue inspectors, besides land brokers and other private players, to fabricate and alter revenue records.