Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram subcollector Divya S Iyer said that the controversial transfer of land to a private person at Varkala was in accordance with law. She said that she had not met the person who was initially accused of encroaching government land.
Iyer told Manorama News that her decision to hand over the land back to its previous occupant could be appealed before the land revenue commissioner. Iyer’s decision has been stayed on a petition by V Joy MLA pending a probe by the land revenue commissioner.
The row started when the revenue department officials took over 27 cents of land by the Varkala-Parippalli state highway from an individual in July. The local tehsildar had found that the person was illegally occupying the land which was worth about Rs 1 crore.
The person went to the Kerala High Court for relief. The court ordered the subcollector to take an appropriate decision. Iyer, in turn, cancelled the tehsildar’s order and handed over the land back to its previous occupant.
The department had earmarked the land in the Elakaman panchayat to build a police station at Ayiroor when the individual went to the court.
Iyer’s decision ignited a controversy with reports suggesting malpractices. Her husband, Congress MLA K S Sabarinath, was also drawn into the row.
Sabarinath accused fellow legislator Joy of politicising the issue.
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