Gram panchayats facilitating shamlat land grab: Tribunal

The second interim report,which was submitted in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday,reads: “Totality of the shamlat land is occupied unauthorisedly and the sales of all these lands are being done frequently. This scandal has to be stopped.”

A number of high-ups have been indicted by the Tribunal including former Punjab DGP; former chief engineer; additional consolidation officer (an IAS officer) and two Naib Tehsildars. The Tribunal has indicted Daljit Singh Dhillon,former chief engineer,Punjab,for being in “unauthorised occupation of 118 kanal 9 marla of public land (including shamlat deh)” in Hoshiarpur village.

Significantly,the Tribunal has indicted former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) P S Gill in its report. While scrutinising land records of Saini Majra village,the Tribunal has held that “a huge chunk of land measuring 1,199 kanals 1 marla (shamlat land) was illegally and erroneously taken possession of by one Paramdip Singh,son of Nachattar Singh,from 2012 onwards…. there is nothing on record to show as to how and in what manner Paramdip Singh came into possession of shamlat land (common land)”.

Elaborating,the Tribunal has submitted that Paramdip Singh had,before a Naib-Tehsildar of the area,claimed that he is the owner in possession. To corroborate this,the real owners had also come forward before the authorities and submitted that they had no objection if the land is transferred into Singh’s name. After the Naib Tehsildar “verified” the facts,the transfer was allowed placing reliance on a Ropar court’s order. “We are prima facie of the view that reliance by the Naib Tehsildar on the judgment of the Ropar Court (dated June 14,1996) is wholly misplaced rather erroneous”.

The Tribunal has further ruled that “the order of the Naib Tehsildar (dated June 27,2012) and subsequent transfer in the name of Paramdip Singh is wholly illegal. Prima facie the order and the correction of the girdawari are in collusion with the revenue staff and the respondents (real owners) in application”.

The report also reads that before partition of the country,Saini Majra village was inhabited by Muslims who were the only proprietors as shown in jamabandi for the year 1942-43. “The examination of latest jamabandis projects a very well-planned land grab scandal”.