Despite Himachal CM’s rhetoric, land mafia ran rampant during Dharamshala byelections
S Gopal Puri / Shivanshu ShuklA
∴ BIG EXPOSE ∴
The Newz Radar
Dharamshala: Despite Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s tall claims of cracking down on land mafia during the recent byelections in Dharamshala, over 300 land deals, including several alleged fraudulent transactions, took place between March 16 and June 1 during the code of conduct period.
The revenue office confirmed that a total of 312 registrations were made during this period, with many of these deals involving influential individuals with political connections.
An investigation by The Newz Radar unearthed a web of deceit and corruption, with some land deals allegedly being executed without the necessary no objection certificate (NOC) from previous owners. One such case involved a plot of land that was sold repeatedly without the owner’s consent. The sale deed, registered on April 16, bore the stamp number IN-HP1340659673 and is currently under investigation.
The investigation revealed that several bigwigs with political connections had entered into sale deeds for prime properties in the region. A 26-year-old resident of the area was found to have entered into a sale deed with an established business tycoon. In one of the land deals, the police registered a case under section 420 of the IPC, but complainants are still waiting for justice. “The case has been registered at Yol police chowki,” said a source.
Despite the gravity of the situation, it appeared that little had been done to curb the land mafia’s activities during the election period.
The CM’s office was informed by investigation agencies about a person having 40 land registries in his name, but no concrete action was taken to help buyers secure clean deals in this region. Those interested in buying properties in this region have paid advance money to land brokers but are still awaiting registries. These buyers include many bank managers as well.
The incident raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the government’s efforts to curb land frauds in the area. The CM’s rhetoric against the land mafia seems to be nothing more than an election gimmick, as the reality on the ground remains unchanged. The people are demanding immediate action against those involved in these fraudulent activities and an overhaul of the system to prevent such incidents in the future.
