File picture of Barabati Palace in Cuttack

Cuttack, Nov. 30: The state government today took possession of properties that had come up on the land allegedly encroached upon by the Odisha Olympic Association (OOA) at Barabati Stadium.

Yesterday, Orissa High Court had directed the collector of Cuttack to take over possession of properties on 0.705 acres of encroached land adjacent to the 20.808 acres that the state government had granted on lease to the OOA in 1949 for construction of the stadium.

“In pursuance of the high court direction, we took possession of a Kalyan Mandap, known as Barabati Palace, and 23 shops that had come up on the encroached land,” tehsildar (Sadar Cuttack) Abani Patnaik told The Telegraph.

Incidentally, Ashirbad Behera, who is general secretary of the OOA, has been interrogated by the CBI as the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), of which he is the secretary, is being probed for its alleged links with a deposit collection company that has duped thousands of investors in the state.

The OOA is the apex sports body for state association for different games — football, hockey, table tennis, basketball among others and the district athletic associations.

The high court had set aside the order of the first additional civil judge (senior division), Cuttack, passed on April 16, 1999, permanently restraining the collector, Cuttack, from executing an order of eviction from the encroached land.

High court single judge bench of Justice B.P. Ray sent the matter back to the subordinate court for disposal within six months while appointing collector, Cuttack, as the receiver of the property till disposal of the case.

“As part of implementation of the high court order, an interest bearing bank account will be opened tomorrow for deposit of rents collected from the tenants (23 shops) and the rent received from the Kalyan Mandap (Barabati Palace). The shopkeepers were informed accordingly,” the tehsildar (Sadar Cuttack) said.

The high court, while dealing with the appeal filed in 2001 by the state government against the subordinate court’s order, had further directed the additional director-general of police (crime branch) to investigate the affairs of the OOA and submit a report within three months.

The court said an inquiry was necessary as the affairs of the OOA were prima facie not transparent and its entire deal was fraught with malafide. Justice Ray was of the prima facie view that the affairs of the OOA have become “the parental property of some individuals”.

The high court had also directed the government to carry out an of the OOA’s financial affairs.