U-turn, Patiala police file FIR cancellation report in Rs 250-cr land grab case

Tribune News Service

Aman Sood

Patiala, June 1

In a complete U-turn, the Patiala police have filed for the cancellation of an FIR registered against some persons for claiming prime government land worth hundreds of crores. The move comes four years after the registration of an FIR during the previous Congress regime. The cancellation report is now pending with a local court.

The FIR was registered on March 9, 2019, under Sections 420, 467, 468, 120-B of the IPC after the land worth over Rs 250 crore in Banur was allegedly transferred in the name of some persons reportedly in connivance with senior officers.

Sources say that a DSP and SP-ranked official had given a clean chit to the accused in September 2022 and recommended that the FIR be cancelled. The accused had approached the then Patiala SSP, who ordered an inquiry.

The probe, conducted by the then DSP (Headquarters), claims that the registries were found to be corrected by the Mohali Revenue Department. “Nothing was established if any cheating or any loss to government records ever happened,” read the report, recommending the cancellation of the FIR, and verified by the then SP (Investigation), Patiala.

“Revenue records show that different persons came into existence in the column of cultivation and khasra girdawaris of the land were also changed. All persons were sitting as tenants and as per the law, they had no right to get the sale deeds registered, but they managed to transfer the land to other persons,” said the FIR, which is now proposed for cancellation.

“Khasra numbers have been tampered with and unknown persons shown to be in possession of this land while, in reality, the cultivation column had no mention of their names,” read the FIR.

“Officials connived and despite it being the government land, the sub-registrar went on leave and the charge was handed over to the Zirakpur sub-registrar, who allowed the transfer of land. Instead of taking a no-objection certificate from the Banur MC, the sub-registrar allowed the transfer of land worth crores. As per rules, the deed cannot be registered without approval from our office,” said Banur Municipal Council Executive Officer Gurdeep Singh in his complaint to the Patiala SSP.

The 88-bigha land is situated near the national highway at Bhesi Isse Khan village, while another 112 bighas are located on the national highway around Banur. Villagers have demanded a high-level probe against the officials, who are trying to allow government land being taken over by private individuals.

Interestingly, Gurdeep Singh, now retired, has written to the Local Government Department, Punjab, after he received summons pertaining to the cancellation report being sent to the court. In his letter dated May 9, 2023, he has sought government directions to save this prime land.

Banur falls under the Mohali administrative jurisdiction and the Patiala police district. The cancellation report is now pending with a Mohali court.

The buyers claim that they have bought the land legally from the persons, who are named in the tenant column of the land and, therefore, the MC has no stake in this property.

Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said the FIR cancellation report was sent to the court before he joined as SSP and on October 1, 2022, the cancellation report was filed by the then SHO Banur.

SHO Banur Kirpal Singh said that the cancellation was moved before he joined as the SHO.

Probe panel gave clean chit

• A total of 200-bigha land worth Rs 250 cr was sold to some persons in connivance with officials of Revenue Department
• On the complaint of Banur MC, an FIR was lodged in 2019. A probe panel was formed which gave a clean chit to buyers
• The FIR said the persons, who got the sale deeds registered, were sitting on the land as tenants and as per the law, they had no right to sell these

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