Illegal Registration Of Commercial Properties A ‘Way Of Life’ In City, Says Delhi High Court

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Illegal Registration Of Commercial Properties A ‘Way Of Life’ In City, Says Delhi High Court
Illegal Registration Of Commercial Properties A ‘Way Of Life’ In City, Says Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has commented that  illegally registering commercial properties as residential was now a “way of life” in the capital city while hearing a PIL that has claimed widespread corruption in the government offices in which properties get registered.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar made the observation when issues related to the illegal registration of commercial properties were highlighted before it.

The court has sent a notice to the Delhi government, as well as to the departments of Revenue, Service and Vigilance seeking their position on the allegation. Similar notices have also been sent to  the Anti Corruption Branch, the CBI and the Controller of Accounts.

PIL Alleges Sub-Registrar Official Taking Bribes

In his plea, the petitioner has indicated to a particular sub-registrar office located at Asaf Ali Road in Old Delhi and has alleged that an official working there was taking bribes to register commercial properties as residential ones, which was causing a “huge loss of revenue” to the state exchequer.

The petitioner R P Gupta has claimed that such harmful practices were most likely prevalent in other sub-registrar offices of Delhi as well.
According to him, no action has been taken despite several representations and complaints having been made against such alleged illegal activity. He has sought for a CBI investigation or a SIT probe to be launched into the matter.

The HC bench has asked the Lt Governor’s office to submit a status report separately covering the registration of transactions related to the transferring of immovable properties handled under the jurisdiction of the sub-registrar office.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on March 7.

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