3 decades later, Jadavpur cooperative society members yet to receive plots

There are allegations of "gross manipulation of records", which also include "original site plan of the 1980s with demarcated plots" and reselling of the same without handing over the conveyance deed to its actual owner at the right time. It has landed a large section of the society members in deep trouble.

There are also allegations of changing plot numbers to resell them to more than one person.

So far there are 26 members of the society, mostly elderly, who have come together to fight against it and to get possession of their plots.

According to the affected members, there is high possibility of more people turning up with the same allegation in recent future, after they come to know about the fight they have initiated despite their old age, against the society authorities.

The "inhumane and indifferent attitude" of the board of directors of the society, mainly the former secretary Kumar Kartik Dey and his brother-in-law and the present secretary Sanjoy Nandi, towards the elderly people for the past three decades, is the root cause of all trouble,

the members alleged.

66-year-old Gopal Chandra Nandi, who had invested all his savings to get a plot in his wife's name, said: "There is no proper office of the society. At present, there is only a signboard bearing the name of the society in front of a shop of Dey in Nayabad itself.

They never met us whenever we went there and always put forward lame excuses to avoid meeting. Moreover, letters, even through speed post, returned without being accepted by them."

Nandi had given the money in the 80s after his wife got plot number 53, measuring 2.8 cottah in phase II, through lottery.

But the conveyance deed was not handed over to them. Nandi claimed he later came to know that the same plot was sold to one Bidyut Baran Mukhopadhyay.

Later, the society had given him conveyance deed of an alternate plot, the number of which was 179. Most of the plot is a waterbody.

"Moreover, I was astonished to find that this plot too was later sold to another person, with a new plot number - 180E," Nandi said, adding that it is not possible without manipulating the original records.

Now, both Nandi and his wife are retired persons. But the dream of their own home is yet to be fulfilled due to the alleged "land-scam by Dey and his company".

Nandi had a major operation last year, but has been continuing his fight against "the corruption", with a pacemaker in his heart.

Like Nandi, Swapna Mondal and many others have passed through a similar experience and they are running from pillar to post to get their share of plot.

Mondal said: "We cannot trace the office of the society. First, there should be a permanent office of the society. In such a situation, we all are fighting together against the rampant corruption."

It has also been alleged that "besides not handing over conveyance deed to many, Dey had tactfully taken back the deeds from many members of the society and also made them surrender their share certificates.

There could be 100 such plots, which are later getting sold at a premium to others, mainly real estate developers.

The affected persons are now demanding an audit of each plot, to track down its actual owner.

Moreover, there was also a controversy over the election of board of members of the society. Question has been raised on how the same person can continue as the secretary year after year,

by flouting all norms.

When contacted, the society authorities were found trying to brush aside the allegations.