BHOPAL: In a major action, Madhya Pradesh state economic offences wing (EOW) has registered an FIR against the trustee, other office bearers of city’s renowned charitable trust – Jeev Sewa Sansthan (JSS) – for allegedly causing a huge loss of revenue to the state government in connivance with officials of registrar office through land deals using funds received as donation from foreign countries for educational institutes and other social services.
Officers believe that this case would emerge as a major scam since this is an old trust and some members had been involved in procuring lands in the guise of social activities and selling it to builders for commercial uses at rates far below than its actual market value.
This trust was formed as an apex organization in 1994, with an objective to co-ordinate all social activities and a major chunk of donations comes from Hong Kong, said sources.
Allegedly, they had recently paid a fine of Rs 47 lakhs for non-filing of returns as per The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 (FCRA, 1976). Their registered address in Bhopal is A-18/178, Near TR Community Hall, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Bhopal. JSS is registered under FCRA (No: 063160059) for receiving foreign donations.
One of the important charges is tax evasion to the crores of rupees’ that was payable as stamp duty, said officials. FIR has been registered by the Treasurer of Jeev Seva Sansthan, Hero Gyanchandani, Roshan Chawla of Chawla Associates, Deputy Registrar Rashmi Sen, other officials of Jeev Seva Sansthan and revenue officers for cheating and under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Hero Gyanchandani is brother of a local political leader.
As per the complaint received by EOW, using donated money this trust procured around 28 acres of land in Gondarmau area of Bhopal in 2001 in the name of constructing a Higher Secondary School for students. This land is located near the highway on the airport road.
This land was sold by officials of the trust to builder Roshan Chawla at an affordable price for a commercial project. Around 10 acres of land adjoining the National Highway No 12 and the paved road leading to Asaram Ashram was sold at a low price on grounds that there was an approach road. There was a proper road to the land, say officials.
This land was sold for Rs 13.10 crores by the trust. Whereas the market value of this land reported in the documents of RERA was Rs 40 crore. In registries, the access road is clearly visible.
Not only did the trust sell land at a throwaway price and cause revenue loss to the government, but they also allowed the builder to use a 60 feet wide road built in the trust's land without any charges.
Moreover, there were thousands of eucalyptus and other trees on 10 acres of land, which were not mentioned at the time of registry. The same was mentioned in previous records. This was done to evade additional registry charges on the trees. Despite pictures revealing a number of trees on the land, the registrar did not collect stamp duty on it, causing loss of revenue to the government. The builder in fact paid lakhs of rupees as fine for cutting the trees without permission. Investigations revealed. This fact was deliberately omitted by the employees of the Revenue Department, officials informed.
Investigators say that this is just the tip of an iceberg. Probe would get into the roots of donors and money invested by the trust members in the name of charity.
