Nagapur, (The Hindu): In a victory for the Congress, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced in the Upper House on Friday that all transactions related to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) land in Navi Mumbai would be suspended until the judicial inquiry into the alleged irregularities in its allotment is completed.

Transactions suspended

In the Upper House, Mr. Fadnavis said, “Today, we have stopped all transactions related to this land. The Collector has been directed to take care that there won’t be any sale in this matter. Until the judicial inquiry is complete and its result is out, it’s sale, transfer, or lease, everything has been suspended.”

The Congress had alleged that 24 acres CIDCO land in Kharghar, which was allotted to the people affected by the Koyna dam project, was sold to builders for an extremely low price.

The Chief Minister on Thursday had announced in the Assembly that he would order a judicial probe into land deal after the Congress accused him of being involved in the transaction.

During the brief statement in the Legislative Council, Mr. Fadnavis also instructed the revenue department to ensure that no third party interest is created in the land and no further transactions are done in this case till the inquiry is over.

“A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the Koyna land issue and sale and leasing of that land has been prohibited till the inquiry report comes,” said Mr. Fadnavis. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam had last Monday alleged that land in Navi Mumbai, meant for project affected people of the dam and worth 1,767 crore, was given to a private builder for just 3.60 crore.

Vindicated, says Cong.

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, told reporters that the government had to finally bow down before the truth. He said, “Our stand is vindicated. It shows there was truth in what we had alleged. If the stay wasn’t given, the government would have to face embarrassment during the judicial probe.”

He added, “We will submit more proof in the Navi Mumbai land deal case on the floor of the House. Our MLAs were preparing to aggressively take on the government on this. Hence the government had to give in.”

The business of the Council, which began at noon, lasted only for seven minutes as it was adjourned soon afterwards.