Ranchi: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jharkhand has intensified its action against alleged corruption in land-related matters, arresting 10 people in six cases within around 25 days. The cases involve alleged bribery for land mutation, disappearance of land records, suspected manipulation of government and forest land transactions, and irregularities in compensation payments for acquired land.
Those arrested include government employees and individuals allegedly involved as intermediaries or in land transactions under investigation. The ACB’s action has extended beyond officials accused of accepting bribes to people suspected of involvement in alleged illegal land dealings.
Between September 15 and October 8, the agency conducted arrests linked to cases in Chatra, Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Ramgarh. The cases involve different allegations, and the investigation into the responsibility of the individuals concerned is continuing.
Mutation Bribery and Missing Land Records
One of the cases surfaced on September 15, when the ACB arrested Satish Kumar, a revenue employee associated with the Chatra Sadar Circle, for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹15,000 in connection with land mutation.
On September 22, the ACB arrested Manoj Kumar Dixit, the former Circle Inspector of Namkum Circle in Ranchi, and former clerk Deepak Kumar. The case concerns the alleged disappearance of documents related to land mutation. The agency is examining the missing records, the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and the roles of the officials concerned.
These cases have brought the handling of land records and mutation procedures under scrutiny. The ACB is investigating the alleged irregularities and the responsibilities of the people involved.
Forest Land Scam in Hazaribagh
The ACB’s investigation into alleged illegal transactions involving forest and government land in Hazaribagh has also led to multiple arrests.
On September 23, the agency arrested Kuleshwar Prajapati in connection with the alleged forest land scam.
On October 7, three more people were arrested in the same case: Visheshwar Prajapati, Shankar Prajapati and Ramgati Gupta alias Ramgati Prasad.
The allegations involve the suspected illegal acquisition and sale of forest land, government land and certain categories of gairmajarua land, along with alleged irregularities in mutation records.
The ACB is examining the actual ownership of the land, the validity of the relevant documents and the roles of the individuals involved in the transactions. The investigation aims to establish how the alleged irregularities occurred and who was responsible.
NH-33 Land Compensation Case in Ramgarh
The alleged irregularities in compensation paid for land acquired for the widening of National Highway 33 (NH-33) in the Mandu area of Ramgarh district have also come under the ACB’s scrutiny.
On October 1, the agency arrested former Amin Baleshwar Prasad and former head assistant Praveen Kumar Sinha, associated with the Land Acquisition Office in Ramgarh.
The case concerns alleged irregularities in compensation payments relating to approximately 1.92 acres of acquired land in the Jodakaram area of Mandu.
The ACB is examining the land acquisition records, compensation calculations and the distribution of government funds to determine whether the prescribed procedures were followed and whether the people involved played a role in the alleged irregularities.
ACB Investigation Against Former Circle Officer Continues
The ACB’s investigation also continues against former Circle Officer Dr Shweta Verma in connection with land-related matters.
The agency is examining the role of officials and possible links between administrative decisions and the alleged irregularities. Land records, mutation approvals and compensation payments involve several levels of official scrutiny, making it important to establish individual responsibility through documentary and other evidence.
The investigation against the former officer remains ongoing, and any further action will depend on the findings of the agency.
Chatra SDO Office Head Clerk Arrested
On October 8, the ACB arrested Basudev Ram, the head clerk at the Chatra Sub-Divisional Officer’s office, in an alleged bribery case.
The arrest was linked to a complaint concerning money allegedly demanded in connection with a land dispute matter. The agency’s action forms part of its wider efforts to investigate alleged corruption in offices handling land-related administrative work.
Middlemen and Land Transactions Also Under Scrutiny
People seeking government services related to land often have to complete procedures involving mutation, correction of records, compensation payments and other revenue-related matters.
Complaints of alleged demands for money to speed up official work have periodically brought the role of intermediaries under scrutiny. In some cases, employees and middlemen are suspected of working together to obtain improper benefits.
The ACB is examining whether the alleged irregularities in the cases under investigation were limited to individuals or involved a wider network of people connected with land transactions.
Crackdown on Land-Related Corruption Continues
The recent arrests indicate that the ACB’s investigations cover several aspects of alleged land-related corruption, ranging from direct bribery to suspected irregularities in land records, forest land transactions and compensation payments.
The next stage will involve establishing the roles of the accused through evidence and determining the extent of the alleged irregularities. Further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigations.
Date-Wise List of Arrests
| Date | Arrests and Case Details |
|---|---|
| September 15 | Satish Kumar, revenue employee associated with Chatra Sadar Circle, arrested in an alleged ₹15,000 bribery case linked to land mutation |
| September 22 | Former Namkum Circle Inspector Manoj Kumar Dixit and former clerk Deepak Kumar arrested in connection with missing land mutation documents |
| September 23 | Kuleshwar Prajapati arrested in the Hazaribagh forest land scam case |
| October 1 | Former Amin Baleshwar Prasad and former Land Acquisition Office head assistant Praveen Kumar Sinha arrested in the alleged NH-33 land compensation irregularities case |
| October 7 | Visheshwar Prajapati, Shankar Prajapati and Ramgati Gupta alias Ramgati Prasad arrested in the Hazaribagh forest land scam case |
| October 8 | Basudev Ram, head clerk at the Chatra SDO office, arrested in an alleged bribery case |
Total: 10 arrests across six cases.
