Delhi land scam

Officials also found a sale deed, dated May 19, 2015, which showed that Mahesh sold the land to an Amritsar resident, Raman Mehra, for ~1.42 crore.

Another sale deed, from April 2016, showed Mehra had sold the land to a Dwarka-based property dealer for ~2 crore.

According to an additional district magistrate’s inquiry report, no court order (144/RA/85, on which the transfer was made) exists. The ink used for making the entry on the KG appeared to be different from the ink used for other entries made in 1986, says the report. Accused of forging records, a patwari (keeper of records) and kanungo (supervisor) were suspended, and the district administration annulled the sale deed. “We asked Mahesh to produce original or even photocopy of property papers if the land belonged to him. He could not. We have reclaimed our land,” said an officer of the state revenue department, who asked not to be named.

After this case, officers found tampering of ownership records of 11 more properties over the last nine months. Records accessed by HT show that a similar modus operandi was used to transfer ownership of each of these properties. Two of them were sold.

“In one instance, we identified two officers who allegedly forged the records. They have been suspended. We are submitting a detailed case report to the L-G’S office,” district magistrate (south) Amjad Tak said.

HT contacted Mahesh on the phone number given on the sale deed. The person who answered the call insisted that the property was rightfully his. “It is my land. I had got in around 40 years ago from government. I will sue them. I have already given my statement to ADM,” he said.

Amritsar resident Raman Mehra declined comment. The Dwarka-based property dealer could not be contacted. The CBI asked to investigate the matter

Divisional commissioner has ordered checking other land records

Fresh action taken report on all 13 plots to be submitted to the L-G this week South district administration has filed an appeal in the civil court to cancel sale of land in Khasra 1354. (When the fraud was detected, the land had already been sold)