A syndicate run by a group of traders dealing in real estate identified government land and had it transferred in some local villagers’ names, and then in their own.
The forest land in question is spread across 183 hectares in Pilwani Pithaura, and is worth crores.
The villagers, in whose names the land was transferred, were unaware of the situation.
The issue came to light when a complaint was made at the Economic Wing (EOW) of Chhattisgarh government.
On the basis of the complaint, EOW started a probe into the case, and revealed evidences in the preliminary stage of the investigation.
Several bogus papers were submitted with land records for transfer of land.
EOW SP Arvind Kujur stated that forged documents in the names of villagers were submitted to land and revenue departments, denoting the land as revenue, residential and agricultural.
The police are on a search for alleged land mafia from Raigarh Amar Agarwal, Saurabh Agarwal, Anuradha Agarwal, Govind Ram Agarwal, Sarla Devi Agarwal, Titish Banik, Land broker Punnu and Laxminarayan Agarwal.
It has been alleged that some officers are involved in the scam. EOW indicated that serious action will be initiated against the corrupt officials.
Rajim Tandi of Pithaura said, “We have lost all hopes because RI and Patwari sit in the home of these land mafia and carry out manipulation of land revenue records. We complained several times but no concrete action has been initiated.”