14 booked for selling plots ‘fraudulently’

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 14

A suspected major scam has been uncovered involving the ‘fraudulent’ sale of plots on land belonging to ‘Loh langar’ in the Lohara area of the city. So far, 14 individuals, including a former councillor’s father-in-law, have been booked for allegedly selling plots by illegally developing a colony on the ‘Loh langar’ land. The complaint was filed by a group of residents of New Mandeep Colony, Lohara, in May last year but the police registered the FIR on Saturday.

The suspects have been identified as Iqbal Singh, Avtar Singh, Nirmal Singh SS, Guljinder Singh, Gurnam Singh, Daljit Singh Jhajj, Jasminder Singh, Jasvir Singh, Simranjit Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Kuljeet Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Parveen Kumar Gupta, and Varinder Kumar Ohri. They have not been arrested so far. Further police investigation in the matter is underway.

Kuldeep Kumar Tiwari, along with a group of other residents of New Mandeep Colony, Lohara, alleged that people purchased plots of various sizes, measuring up to 200 sq yards, in the colony developed on 16 acres in 2019. Approximately 150 houses and about 15 shops have been constructed on the land. A scam worth crores of rupees has been committed against the people, as the suspects fraudulently sold them plots, he said.

The complainants alleged that people had purchased plots from the suspects, including Avtar and Nirmal. Later, they had received registries in their names. It took nearly 11 months for the registration of the FIR, and even one of the major suspect’s name was not in the FIR.

The complainants said they had possession of the plots but the Municipal Corporation and tehsildar concerned displayed a notice board in the area on May 17, 2023, stating that the land belongs to ‘Loh Langar’ and ‘mahants’ and plots on it could not be sold. Questions are also arising that as to why the then government officials did not prevent the suspects from selling plots to the people in 2019. They alleged that the suspects committed a fraud by selling plots on the land, violating rules set by the state government.

The residents are demanding justice from the government. Many people belong to UP, Bihar, and other states who purchased plots in the colony developed on the ‘loh langar’ land by the suspects. The affected people are seeking justice as they invested their lifetime savings to purchase plots in the colony.

Investigating officer Gurdeep Singh stated that the probe into the matter was ongoing. A case has been filed under various sections of the IPC and the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (PAPR) Act.

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