Chandigarh Golf Association faces lawsuit over alleged illegal sub-letting and profit siphoning

Singh’s petition alleges that the seven-acre site, allotted in 1999 for a low-cost driving range to encourage new golfers, has gradually been converted into a commercial hub over 27 years. He claims the association has earned close to Rs 150 crore through memberships, rentals and high-fee services such as a gym and restaurant, while failing to share profits with the Administration or submit mandatory audits. Records cited in the petition show that only Rs 1.47 lakh was deposited with the government in 2003, with no subsequent profit-sharing.

The suit says the CGA has sub-let portions of the premises to private operators in violation of the 2021 licence deed, which expressly bars such arrangements. Entities named in the filing include a restaurant, a gym and multiple shops run by coaches and tenants. Singh has also alleged that a separate entity called “CGA Golf Range” was created to collect fees from nearly 2,500 members without any oversight from the main association, amounting to “misuse of public resources and opaque financial practices”.

Environmental violations form a significant part of the allegations. The petition states that the range lies within 100 metres of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, in a notified eco-sensitive zone, where the natural bank of the Sukhna Choe has allegedly been altered, obstructing water flow and posing ecological risks. It further questions how an excise licence for serving alcohol was granted in 2022 when the association’s lease expired in September 2025, leaving it in what Singh terms “illegal occupation” of the land.

The suit also flags governance concerns, noting that the CGA’s April 2025 elections did not follow the National Sports Code requirement for post-wise voting. It alleges that self-styled president Pachnanda did not contest any post, and that Singh’s warnings to office-bearers from July onwards went unanswered, prompting him to escalate the issue to senior officials and the Prime Minister’s Office in September and October.

Apart from the CGA and its office-bearers, the defendants include senior UT Administration officials and the private entities operating from the site. Singh has sought a judicial declaration that the association’s activities violate the terms of allotment, a permanent restraint on further sub-letting or commercial alienation of the land, and recovery of the government’s pending revenue share after scrutiny of the club’s finances.