Certainly! The case involving influential LDF MLA P V Anwar and his family’s landholdings has come under scrutiny with new documents presented before the Zonal Taluk Land Board. These documents shed light on the family’s attempts to comply with the Kerala Land Reforms Act, which sets limits on the extent of land an individual or family can possess.
According to the documents, Anwar and his family sold nearly 20 acres of land in an effort to bring their total landholdings within the legal limits. However, despite these sales, it appears that they still possess excess land, though the excess is marginal.
Anwar, who is 56 years old, and his first wife Sheeja, aged 53, together own 14.81 acres, exceeding the land ceiling of 12 acres. Additionally, Anwar and his second wife Afsath, who is 45 years old, own 10.77 acres, surpassing the 10-acre limit.
The family’s total land ownership amounts to 25.58 acres. Notably, the family has been selling or transferring properties while the proceedings to recover excess land are ongoing, as pointed out by RTI activist K V Shaji, who is actively pursuing the case in the High Court.
One of the properties in question is a 60:40 partnership between Anwar and his second wife Afsath, totaling 11 acres in Koodaranji, Kozhikode district, near the border of Malappuram district. The couple operates a water theme park called Nature Tourism Village on this property and contends that it should not be counted as part of the family’s assets.
The documents presented by Shaji reveal discrepancies between Anwar’s election affidavits and his disclosures before the Land Board. Anwar’s own affidavit suggests that he and Sheeja own 14.81 acres, slightly above the 12-acre ceiling.
RTI activist Shaji provides further evidence, listing out title deeds of additional land owned by Anwar and his family, which were not disclosed in the affidavits. For instance, Anwar owns 5.76 acres registered through eight title deeds, and together with four others, including P V Ashraf and P V Ajman, he owns another 5.9995 acres in different locations.
Moreover, Afsath’s landholdings, which were initially reported to be within the ceiling, come under scrutiny due to recent property sales. She sold a 69-cent plot in May, reducing her ownership to 6.36 acres. However, Shaji’s documents reveal that Afsath and Anwar jointly own 1.1 acres, and she possesses an additional 2.6186 acres, taking her total landholdings to 10.07 acres, slightly above the 10-acre ceiling.
In response to the ongoing proceedings, Afsath and Anwar sold some of their properties, which appears to be an effort to bring their landholdings within the legal limits. However, there are also records of Anwar selling 19.13 acres of land since 2005, including 11.46 acres in Aluva, which were not mentioned in his election affidavits or before the Taluk Land Board.
The chairman of the Kannur Zonal Land Board, T R Rajeesh, has apologized to the High Court of Kerala for the delay in completing the proceedings, and the Land Board has been granted an additional three months to complete the verification of Anwar’s properties. The next hearing is scheduled for August 16.
This case has drawn attention to the transparency and accuracy of disclosures made by public officials and the need for proper oversight to ensure compliance with land regulations and reforms.
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