Almost two years after around a dozen people came forward claiming a whopping ₹400 crore compensation for a plot of land in Narshingpur off the National Highway-48 here acquired by the Haryana government, the police have now registered a First Information Report against six to investigate their claims.
The FIR has been registered on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, fraud and forgery, among others.
The land in question, measuring around eight acres, was acquired by the Land Acquisition Officer, Urban Estate, for Transport and Communication Zone in 2013 and handed over to the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran, formerly Haryana Urban Development Authority.
The award was initially fixed at ₹44.01 crore and announced on June 6, 2016, but the amount increased many folds following enhancement ordered by the Supreme Court and the interest on it.
‘Legal heirs’
As per the revenue records, the land belongs to Charanjeet Singh S/O Nandi Singh, a resident of Narsinghpur village, but ten persons came forward seeking the money. Interestingly, six of them claim to be Charanjeet Singh themselves, and the rest either his “legal heir” or are in possession of the “General Power of Attorney” for the land.
The matter is sub-judice for almost two years after the Land Acquisition Collector moved the local court since more than one claimant to the land surfaced.
Right to Information activist Ramesh Yadav, in his complaint to the police seeking FIR in the case in February this year, said the land’s owner, Charanjeet Singh, is “believed” to have died during Sikh riots without any legal heirs and the compensation for the said land is actually “public money”.
“It is indeed strange that none of the claimants in the matter have sought legal proceedings against the other. It raises serious doubts about the authenticity of their claims. There is a need for a detailed investigation into the matter so that public money does not go into the hands of the fraudsters and those making false claims are brought to book,” said Mr. Yadav.
He alleged that even before the acquisition a few political leaders had also made attempts to illegally occupy the land, situated at a prime location, in collusion with the revenue officials, but they did not succeed.
‘Not much progress’
The FIR, lodged at Sector 37 Police Station, has been registered at the behest of Naib Tehsildar Omprakash following commissioner’s letter to him on February 24. Station House Officer, Sector 37, Inspector Devender said not much progress was made in the investigation due to the lockdown.
Mr. Yadav also raised question over registration of the case against only six people and not all the ten named in his complaint to the police.