Govt reclaims land encroached by Gajbhiye's wife

Puri: The district administration on Wednesday took possession of the 40-acre land in Gop tehsil of the district allegedly grabbed by Ranjana Gajbhiye, wife of suspended IPS officer and former Kendrapara SP Satish Gajbhiye.

The action followed after she failed to comply with the government directive, which had instructed her to vacate the land within one month.

Officials of the revenue department, who undertook the land reclaiming exercise today, said the government got into action and freed the land of encroachment since Ranjana and her associates did not vacate the encroached land on their own within the stipulated period.

Earlier on Monday, officials of the revenue department removed the encroachment from the specified land. The land was measured on January 30, they added.

As per allegations, she had occupied lands in Badakiapala and Sanakiapala villages under Gop block of the district besides the seven acres of land purchased in her name. She had allegedly encroached nearly 70 acres of adjacent government land for pisciculture.

Soon after the land grabbing incident came to fore on August 19, the Board of Revenue, Odisha had directed RDC (Central) to conduct an inquiry into the alleged land grab by the couple.