Land acquisition compensation 'scam': Former Beed collector remanded in 7-day police custody

A court in Beed on Friday remanded former district collector Avinash Pathak in 7-day police custody in connection with an alleged Rs 241 crore land acquisition and compensation scam. The alleged scam pertains to 154 cases in which compensation for land acquired was inflated, taking the total amount to be disbursed from the original Rs 68 crore to Rs 310 crore.

A court in Beed on Friday remanded former district collector Avinash Pathak in 7-day police custody in connection with an alleged Rs 241 crore land acquisition and compensation scam. Pathak, a 2013 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, was arrested from neighbouring Latur district on Thursday for alleged irregularities in the process of acquiring land for the Beed-Dhule-Solapur national highway. After he was produced in court this afternoon, District Judge Sangeeta R Shinde remanded him in police custody till May 15. The alleged scam pertains to 154 cases in which compensation for land acquired was inflated, taking the total amount to be disbursed from the original Rs 68 crore to Rs 310 crore. Of this, Rs 72 crore had been disbursed and misappropriated, as per investigators. These cases pertain to the period between March 1 and April 17 last year, just days before Pathak was transferred from the district on April 22. The police had previously booked 10 individuals. Assistant Superintendent of Police Venkatram said the investigation has uncovered a ''solid link'' between Pathak and the other accused. ''The evidence suggests a coordinated attempt to siphon off government funds by manipulating land award amounts,'' he said.