The Punjab Government has widened the ambit of its inquiry into the alleged illegal sale of village pathways to a private builder in New Chandigarh.
More land deals under lens
- The Vigilance will investigate the alleged sale of pathways at Saini Majra village
- Directed to verify similar land deals in seven other villages of Majri block of Mohali
- To conduct a detailed probe against officers and villagers who were part of the 2018-19 deal
Asking the state Vigilance Bureau to probe the alleged sale at Saini Majra village, the state government has directed it to verify similar land deals in seven other villages of Majri block of Mohali.
In a letter to the Chief Director, VB, the Vigilance Department has asked the bureau to conduct a detailed investigation against officers and private persons (villagers) who were part of the land deal in 2018-19. The investigation will also be conducted into the alleged sanctioning of illegal sale of village pathways at Bansepur, Rani Majra, Dodemajra, Ghandauli, Rasulpur, Bharaunjian and Salamatpur villages, besides Saini Majra of Majri block. All these villages are now being developed by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) as New Chandigarh.
The village pathways or “rastas” cannot be legally sold unless these are declared “abandoned” by the Director, Consolidation, and the Director, Land Records. Land in New Chandigarh is among the costliest in Punjab, with the market price of an acre here estimated at over Rs 4 crore.
The Punjab Vigilance Department, headed by Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, has already initiated an inquiry against two IAS officers — Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia and Paramjit Singh — posted as the Secretary and Director, respectively, in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats in this regard. The two officers had enhanced the amount to be paid by the builder for buying the village pathways in November 2024, without these being declared abandoned.
Notably, the issue was highlighted in these columns today.
The letter sent to the VB reportedly also mentioned that the Personnel Department was already looking into the role of the officers at its own level.
Originally, the sale of pathways was allowed by officers of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats in 2018-19, to facilitate the private builder getting a contiguous piece of land for his housing project. Till then, the builder owned land in patches around the pathways. Initially, the builder had cordoned off the pathways, which was objected to by the villagers. They went to a Kharar court and got interim protection. Later, some villagers agreed to sell the land. A few officers posted in the department in 2018-19 are alleged to have been given built-up properties in New Chandigarh by the private builder for facilitating him.
However, certain villagers objected to the sale and moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court ruled in 2021 that the land could be sold only if it was declared as abandoned. Despite this not being done, the officers allowed the sale of the land.
