Tribal families in Chhattisgarh cheated of their land in a Rs 500 crore scam

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How government officials cheated

• In 2005, a four-lane diversion plan was prepared for NH-53 passing through state\'s Mahasamand district
• Around 1,135 acres of land belonging to 148 Adivasi families was illegally registered in the name of non-Adivasis between 2005-2008
• The Rs 500 crores compensation released by the state government was pocketed by government officials and land mafia

Investigations so far

• A departmental inquiry in 2013 found a series of controversial orders signed by former district collector SK Tiwari
• Tiwari claims his signatures were forged
• The inquiry also indicted former Registrar BB Panchbhai and KD Vaishnav, a local magistrate
• In 2013, the state government issued showcause notice to the Principal Secretary based on the inquiry report

Thousands of acres of forest land has been usurped by a nexus of state government officials and land mafia under the garb of building a highway, in arguably the biggest land scam in Chhattisgarh. The land grab has displaced hundreds of Adivasi families from their homes in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district, 50 km west of the state's capital, Raipur.

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Between 2000 and 2008, the nexus acquired 1,135 acres of forest land stretching between Mahasamund and Saraipali regions by illegally registering the land under the names of hundreds of non-Adivasi families. The government then released compensation money, four times the market price of this land, which was pocketed by this nexus. Some estimates suggest the scam amounts to more than Rs 500 crore.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is now investigating the matter. Earlier, a departmental inquiry had found the allegations true. Local media reports suggest the mafia was backed by the leaders of the state's ruling party-the BJP-and local political leaders of Mahasamund and Raigarh district.

"What has come out is just the tip of the iceberg. We have received 15 other complaints of land grab in connection with the same scam," says an ACB officer who did not want to be named.

Arvind Kujur, an SP with the Raipur's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) says, "Some public servants forged documents to sell the government land. We have registered cases against several officials under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act for committing this fraud."

"We have cancelled several land registrations related to the case. The departmental enquiry is complete and we are awaiting action at the level of the state government," says Mahasamund Collector Umesh Aggarwal.

Till date, no action has been taken against the accused government officials, which include the Mahasamund district collector and Sub Divisional Magistrate.

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