Jaya146;s AP vineyard under scanner

Even as a probe is on by a retired High Court judge into allegations that Jayalalithaa8217;s luxury farm in Siruthavur, about 50 km from Chennai

Even as a probe is on by a retired High Court judge into allegations that Jayalalithaa8217;s luxury farm in Siruthavur, about 50 km from Chennai, was located on land grabbed from Dalits, her vineyard near Hyderabad has now been served a notice. Both the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments have turned the heat on the former chief minister and AIADMK general secretary, for allegedly using land meant for the poor.

In Chennai, Jayalalithaa said on Sunday that her grape farm had been served with notice by the Andhra Government. She disclosed this while slamming actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth for 8220;setting a bad precedent in politics8221; by indulging in violence and effigy burning, instead of facing cases relating to I-T raids on his premises legally.

Pointing out that using the I-T Department for settling political scores was nothing new, Jayalalithaa said the Andhra Pradesh Government 8220;in a clear act of political vendetta8221; had sent her a notice threatening to acquire her eight-acre vineyard, claiming she had purchased land assigned to the poor.

The J J Grape Gardens owned by Jayalalithaa, which grows bananas now, is located in Pet Bashirabad Village, close to Hyderabad. The Mandal Revenue officer of Kutubullahpur issued Jayalalithaa a notice on January 25.

According to Andhra Pradesh Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasadha Rao, the land, purchased by Jayalalithaa in the 1980s, was originally assigned by the government to the landless poor. The Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands Prohibition of Transfer Act 1997 forbids any sale or purchase of such land.

The 8.10 acres of land was assigned by the Andhra government during 1956-59 to landless poor. Officials say Jayalalithaa purchased different portions of the land, first 3.15 acres, then 3.20 acres and later 1.2 acres, from three different persons. The state8217;s revenue minister denied his government was targeting the AIADMK supremo and said 280 others in the Mandal had been sent similar notices.

But Jayalalithaa claimed that the provocation for action against her was AIADMK8217;s support to Chandrababu Naidu8217;s agitation in Delhi against Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy accusing him of violating the Land Ceiling Act. Jayalalithaa said she had purchased the Hyderabad farm land in 1967 from money she earned as an actor and wondered why the Andhra government was issuing a notice to her 40 years after the land was purchased.

Story continues below this ad

Denying that his government was indulging in political vendetta, the revenue minister urged her 8220;to cooperate8221; with officials. The notices were issued as part of a drive to get back land assigned to the poor and there was no intention to settle scores with anyone, he said. Even Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy had surrendered hundreds of acres belonging to him.

A copy of the notice issued to Jayalalithaa said she was in possession of 8.10 acres in contravention of the provisions of sub-section 2 of section 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands Prohibition of Transfers Act, 1977. She was given 15 days to explain why she should not be evicted from the land and why any crop raised on the land and building or any construction should not be forfeited.

Back in Chennai, the inquiry commission instituted by DMK government is in the process of probing allegations that 53 acres of land adjoining the luxury farm in Siruthavur, which Jayalalithaa often used as a weekend retreat, had been grabbed from Dalits in the area.