Congress MLA Writes to PM Modi, Demands Land Scam Inquiry involving Ex Surat Collector

SURAT, GUJARAT : Congress MLA from Khedbrahma, Dr. Tushar Chaudhary, has called for an independent investigation into a purported Rs 2,000 crore land scam involving former Surat District Collector Ayush Oak. Dr. Chaudhary has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to scrutinize the alleged fraudulent activities that have caused significant financial losses to the state.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr. Tushar Chaudhary, who is also the Congress candidate for the Sabarkantha Lok Sabha seat, levied serious allegations against Ayush Oak, accusing him of unlawfully registering tenant names on valuable government land in Dumas, Surat. “Ayush Oak, the former Surat District Collector, is fully responsible for this fraudulent activity,” stated Dr. Chaudhary. “I demand the formation of an SIT to thoroughly examine all documents related to this case, ensuring that proper legal action is taken against those responsible.”

According to Dr. Chaudhary, Oak, who served as the Surat District Collector until February 2024, defrauded the government by arbitrarily entering the names of ‘tenants’ (ganotiyas) into the official records of government land measuring about 2.17 lakh square meters at survey number 311/3 in Dumas. “This act has resulted in financial damage amounting to crores of rupees,” Dr. Chaudhary emphasized.

Dr. Chaudhary detailed that in 2015, an investigation by the then-district collector concluded that the land belonged to the state government. Despite this, Oak allegedly ignored the report and issued an order to register the names of the tenants into the land records just two days before his transfer. “Former Surat District Collector Ayush Oak ignored this report and issued a wrongful order,” said Dr. Chaudhary. “We believe that huge corruption has been committed in this matter. The names of the tenants were entered under connivance to defraud the government.”

The timing of Oak’s order has raised suspicions, with Dr. Chaudhary questioning Oak’s motives and the abruptness of the decision. “This clear act of corruption and abuse of power cannot go unpunished,” he asserted. Dr. Chaudhary insists that Oak’s actions were a blatant disregard for established procedures and legal guidelines, and they warrant immediate investigation and suspension.

Dr. Chaudhary stressed the necessity for transparency and accountability within government operations. “Ayush Oak wrongfully entered the names of the ganotiyas under the Ganot Dhara, overruling the 2015 report by the former district collector,” he explained. The demand for an SIT investigation highlights the gravity of the allegations and the critical need to protect public property.

“Despite being in a constitutional post with the duty to preserve government property, Ayush Oak damaged the property of the government through his arbitrary and illegal actions,” Dr. Chaudhary said. “This case needs to be investigated thoroughly to ensure justice and to prevent such incidents in the future.”