Acting on chief secretary Rajbala Verma's orders, a three-member special investigative team (SIT) has reached Bokaro to probe into the 103-acre scam at Telutiya mouza in Chas, where land buyers have apparently bought plots of government (gair mazrua aam) and forest land.

The case came to light when last month, about 30 villagers of Tetuliya mouza went to Ranchi to meet chief secretary Verma and informed her that government and forest land was being sold off as small plots in their area. They added the acres had been divided into small plots and boundary walls were coming up thick and fast but the Chas circle office had apparently not heeded to their complaints.

Led by special secretary Dharmendra Pandey, the SIT, which also has revenue department officials U.P. Singh and Awadh Narain Prasad, reached the site on Tuesday for a probe.

This 103-acre land comes under khata 69, plots 426 and 450, and is stated as government land with forest acres.

In reality, the two plots have been divided into many small ones and sold to buyers as private land. It is learnt that many buyers have receipts from Chas circle office signed by the circle officer in 2012-13. Buyers included builders, government officials including foresters, the police and a few politicians of both the ruling and opposition parties.

An SIT member, who did not want to be identified, said prima facie it looked that " gair mazrua plus forestland" was sold to private parties.

"Government officials it seems are hand-in-glove with the land mafia. Till date, no hue and cry was made by Chas circle officers and forest officials, which in itself is suspicious," he said. "We have asked newly posted Chas circle officer Vandana Sejwalkar to give her report within two days. Once the report comes and final verification is done, illegal buyers will have to vacate the land," he added.

Special secretary Dharmendra Pandey said they would not allow anyone to grab government land and get away with it.

Bokaro DC R.M. Ray, on his part, said he wanted the SIT to also investigate the Satanpur Pahadi land scam.