Report on property deeds: Clarification & counter clarification

Sr. Sub-Registrar’s stand

Sir,

I have gone through the news item published in your daily newspaper on 12/7/2018 under the headline ‘Biggest-ever property scam in Assam. A Deed missing from DC office,’ which is prima-facia found to be baseless and without having any foundation, at the same time the said news will create a bad image in the minds of the general public regarding the office of the Senior Sub-Registrar.

It is fact that prior to the digitization of old registered deeds in the oflice, some deeds were called for by the Hon’ble courts in case related matters. Similarly, some of the documents were also seized by police in respect with some cases. Therefore, it cannot be said that all documents/deeds were in the office record. But it is not acceptable that as many as 1,81,489 property deeds were missing. It is fact that there was an agreement signed by the then Deputy Commissioner with the M/S WEBCAM (INDIA) PVT.LTD for digitization of the old registered deeds.

As per the records available, it seems that from 1999 to 2009 a total of 1,81,489 numbers of old registered deeds were handed over to M/S WEBCAM (INDIA) PVT.LTD for digitization and after the completion of scanning process the company M/S WEBCAM (INDIA) PVT.LTD returned the said deeds to the Sr.Sub-Registrar Office, Kamrup (M),Guwahati.

Activist Utpal Das haselessly alleged that a total numbers of I,81,489 deeds were missing from Sr. Sub-Registrar Office which is totally wrong. 1 provided information showing that the deeds were delivered to the office and offered to show activist Utpal Das where these deeds were located if not returned to the office. As for the deed no.5031/2003 pointed out by sri Das, it is under the process of searching in this office.

Hence, you may kindly take note of the aforesaid facts and take appropriate step for clarification of the news published on 12/7/2018 relating to our office.

Yours faithfully,

Sr. Sub-Registrar,

Kamrup (M),

Guwahati.

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Our Reporter’s stand

The office of the Sr. Sub-Registrar, Guwahati, Kamrup (M) has issued a clarification regarding a news report headlined ‘Biggest-ever property scam in Assam; Deeds missing from DC office?’ The report was published on front page of The Sentinel in its July 12, 2018 issue.

In paragraph 1 of the letter, the Sr. Sub-Registrar has termed the news report in question as ‘baseless’ and ‘without having any foundation’. However, the ground reality remains that the news report was based on documents from none other than the Sr. Sub-Registrar’s office, Kamrup Metro. Before terming this report baseless, the Sr, Sub-Registrar has to ensure the very basis of his office documents first.

Responding to paragraph 2 of the letter, we want to say that the statement of the Sr. Sub-Registrar is not in sync with the inspection report (No. KRN.31/2014/1635, dated 16-11-2016) which former Deputy Registrar, Guwahati, Kamrup (M) submitted to the Additional Deputy (i/c Registration), Kamrup Metro, Guwahati on ‘Submission of inspection report of Sr. Sub-Registrar Office, Kamrup Metro’. The inspection report says ‘… I made an enquiry regarding the records of the Senior Sub-Registrar Office, Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati. Accordingly when I made enquiry it is seen that an agreement was made on 18th day of June, 2010 for computerization of old Sale Deeds of Sr. Sub-Registrar Office, Kamrup (Metro) between the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (M)… But it is a matter of great regret that no proper records and registers were maintained by the then registering officers regarding handing over to Web.com for scanning and taking over after completion of scanning of registered deeds for the said period. It is also found that many of the documents went missing/damaged and many of the documents have not been uploaded which are not found and misplacing the deeds. It is also seen that some pages of the documents are not found.’

It was based on this inspection report the then Deputy Registrar, Guwahati, Kamrup Metro did lodge an FIR at Panbazar police station (No.KRN.31/2014, dated 05/12/2016) with the request to take necessary action regarding the missing dalils.

This apart, the present Sr. Sub-Registrar informed the State Chief Information Commissioner, Assam on June 6, 2018 (No KRN-73/2015/Part-I/1314) of the missing property deeds, inspection report and lodging of an FIR with the police. Nowhere in our report it is said that all the 1,81,489 property deeds have gone missing.

We have nothing to say on paragraph 3 of the clarification letter as the aforesaid inspection report has made all these issues clear.

In response to paragraph 4, we want to let the Sr. Sub-Registrar, Kamrup Metro know that our report is not based on any allegation from activist Utpal Das. We want to make it crystal clear that our report is based on documents of the office of the Sr. Sub-Registrar, Kamrup Metro. The name of activist Utpal Das has been cited as an instance of a victim.