Jharkhand News : A massive land scam involving forest land has come to light in Bokaro after a probe by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) revealed large-scale manipulation of revenue records. Investigators found that just 1.03 acres of land was fraudulently mutated as 103 acres, allegedly with the connivance of officials.
Forest Land Grab Through Forged Records
The case centers on Ijhar Hussain and Akhtar Hussain, residents of Ukrid Basti, Sector-12, Bokaro. According to the CID, the accused colluded with revenue officials to get forest land recorded in their names. Shockingly, the mutation case number used to enter their names actually belonged to a petition filed by Dimple Devi, a woman who has no connection to the disputed land. Despite this, the records were altered to replace her name with those of the accused.
From Sale Deed to Gift Deed—A Planned Deception
During the investigation, CID found that the accused initially produced a 1984 sale deed showing the purchase of only 2.75 acres. Later, they relied on a gift deed to claim that the entire land had been settled in favor of their ancestors in 1937. Using these documents, revenue records were manipulated to inflate 1.03 acres into 103 acres.
Land Sold Below Market Value
The CID further discovered that the accused illegally claimed ownership over forest land in Tetulia Mouza and sold parcels to multiple buyers at prices far below market value. When the irregularities surfaced, the state government challenged the transactions, triggering a full-scale investigation.
CID Registers Case; ED Probing Money Laundering Angle
Based on the findings, the CID has registered a case under IPC Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471, along with provisions of the Forest Act. Investigators also uncovered the use of a shell company to buy and sell land. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now joined the probe to examine the money laundering angle linked to the scam.
The revelations indicate that the Bokaro case is not an isolated incident but part of an organized land mafia network involving forged documents and official collusion. More arrests and disclosures are expected as the investigation progresses.
