The Gujarat government has taken significant action in the case involving 2.17 lakh square metres of government land near Surat, estimated at ₹2000 crores. 

IAS Ayush Oak, former Surat and currently the collector of Valsad district has been suspended by the state government for  “serious charges of grave negligence causing a situation involving a huge financial loss to the Government exchequer while dealing with the matter of Revenue Land during the tenure of Surat collector from the period dt. 23/06/2021 to 01/02/2024,” according to a ( notice) on June 10.

The land, numbered 311-3, was allegedly sold to Krishnamukhlal  Shroff, a builder.

Congress leader Dr Tushar Chaudhary had written a complaint to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel alleging former Surat Collector Ayush Oak to be involved in crores of land scam.

As per the allegations, Oak defrauded the government by arbitrarily entering the name of a tenant farmer into the official records of government land 311/3 in Dumas of ₹2,000 crore which is against the Gujarat Tenancy and Agricultural Land Act, 1948.

Notably, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, former Surat Collector Ayush Oak was transferred to Valsad this January. 

Meanwhile, AR Jha, Gujarat Administrative Service, Class-1 (senior scale), resident additional collector, Valsad would hold additional charge of the post of collector, Valsad until further orders.

Oak’s headquarters during the period of his suspension will be at Patan and during that period, he will be entitled to receive a subsistence allowance at an amount equal to the leave salary which he would have drawn if he had been on leave on half-average pay or on half pay and in addition, dearness allowance, if admissible on the basis of such leave salary.

He will have to furnish a certificate every month to the effect that he is not engaged in any other employment, business, profession or vocation. 

During the period of suspension, Oak will not leave the headquarters without obtaining the prior approval of the additional chief secretary to govt (personnel), General Administration Department.

Also read:

₹2,000 crore govt land in Surat transferred to tenant farmer in alleged land scam