Himachal DGP forms SIT to probe benami land deals near Gaggal airport

The police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged benami land transactions and other suspicious property deals in sensitive areas of the state, particularly around Gaggal airport in Kangra district and the Gagret industrial area in Una district.

The SIT has been formed on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Tiwari to examine suspected cases of benami land ownership, irregular land transfers and possible violations of revenue laws governing land acquisition and property transactions in the hill state.

The team will be headed by DIG (Northern Range), Dharamsala, Soumya Sambasivan, and will include SP Raman Sharma, DSP Pratap Thakur and Inspector Kamlesh Kumar of the Cyber Crime unit, Dharamsala.

A senior police official said the inclusion of officers from field, command and cyber units indicates that both on-ground verification and scrutiny of digital and financial records will be integral to the investigation. However, no officer from the civil administration or the revenue department has been included in the SIT.

The probe will primarily focus on compliance with Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, which regulates the transfer and purchase of land in the state, especially by non-agriculturists and non-residents, with the objective of protecting local land ownership, particularly that of small and marginal farmers.

Any attempt to circumvent the law through proxy ownership, forged documents or undisclosed financial arrangements will be closely examined, the official said.

The state government has received credible inputs suggesting that benami transactions and suspicious land deals may have taken place in areas witnessing rapid real estate activity. The surroundings of Gaggal airport — considered strategically and commercially significant due to ongoing infrastructure expansion — and parts of the Gagret industrial area have been identified as key zones for scrutiny.

The SIT has been directed to conduct a comprehensive, impartial and time-bound inquiry and will submit weekly progress reports to senior authorities. The investigation is expected to be completed within three months. If violations are established, the team will recommend appropriate legal, criminal or administrative action against revenue officials, individuals or firms found involved in benami land dealings.

Meanwhile, Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa said the notification under Section 11 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 for acquiring land for the expansion of Gaggal airport was issued on July 7, 2023. After this, no land registration deeds were executed by the revenue department. He added that any benami land deals, if found, would have taken place prior to the issuance of the notification.