Ranchi, Aug 29 (IANS) A special CBI court in Ranchi on Friday convicted former Jharkhand Minister Enos Ekka, his wife Menon Ekka, and seven others, including senior government officials, for their involvement in large-scale violations of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act) through fraudulent land purchases and sales.

Soon after the judgment, all nine convicts were taken into judicial custody. The court has fixed Saturday for the pronouncement of the quantum of sentence.

Ekka, a tribal leader from Simdega, had served as a Minister in the cabinets of both Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda between 2005 and 2008.

The CBI charge sheet alleged that during his tenure, Ekka misused his position to acquire large tracts of tribal land illegally, using fake addresses and benami transactions in the name of his wife.

The agency investigation revealed that between March 2006 and May 2008, large land parcels were purchased in Ekka’s wife’s name, including 22 kattha in Hinoo, 12 acres in Ormanjhi, 4 acres in Nevri, and 9 decimals in Siram Toli.

These transactions, carried out with the active involvement of the then Deputy Collector of Land Reforms, Karthik Kumar Prabhat, were in blatant violation of the CNT Act.

The court, after examining evidence and witness testimonies, accepted the CBI’s case.

Special Public Prosecutor Priyanshu Singh argued that the deals were executed with the connivance of administrative officers and employees, undermining the very spirit of laws meant to safeguard tribal land rights.

The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, enacted during British rule, prohibits the sale, mortgage, or transfer of tribal land to non-tribals. Even within the tribal community, land transfers are heavily restricted, with sales allowed only within the same police station area.

The Act is considered a cornerstone of legal protection for Jharkhand’s tribal population, whose land has long been vulnerable to encroachment and exploitation.

–IANS

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