CBI registers FIRs over irregularities in leasing out of enemy property, searches conducted in 3 states

The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches in three states on Thursday in the matter where the custodian of enemy property for India (CEPI) has caused a huge loss to the Government by leasing out highly commercial land at nominal rates in favour of lessees by manipulation and forging the documents.

The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches in three states on Thursday in the matter where the custodian of enemy property for India (CEPI) has caused a huge loss to the Government by leasing out highly commercial land at nominal rates in favour of lessees by manipulation and forging the documents. A senior CBI official informed that two FIRs were registered in the matter and raids were conducted in 15 locations in Delhi, Kolkata, Barabanki and Lucknow.

The FIRs registered into the matter read that the officials of Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) posted at Lucknow and Delhi in criminal conspiracy with private lessees/beneficiaries have caused huge loss to the Government of India pertaining to Enemy Property of India by leasing out large tracts of prime high-value land at very nominal rentals, by forging and manipulating Lease Agreements in favour of lessees, Granting Lease without Lease Agreements, by regularizing occupation of Lessees without the approval of Government of India, by waiving of lease rental arrears, by doing unauthorized out of court settlement and by other illegal means in several cases. The office of the CEPI is a statutory authority under the provisions of the Enemy Property Act, 1968 (as amended in 2017) and a subordinate office under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Freedom Fighters Division, with its Head Office in New Delhi and three Branch offices at Mumbai, Kolkata and Lucknow.

The Head Office located in New Delhi is headed by the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) and Branch offices in Mumbai, Kolkata and Lucknow are headed by the Assistant Custodian of Enemy Property (ACEP). The basic assignment of the Custodian of Enemy Property for India is to identify, declare, preserve, manage and take control over the enemy properties and dispose of the property with prior approval of the Government of India under the provisions of the Enemy Property Act, 1968 as amended by the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017. (ANI)