Sambhal District Police have arrested six individuals, including a retired Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), in connection with an alleged government land scam involving the illegal allotment of 71.55 hectares of protected public land.
The arrests follow a district-level inquiry into alleged manipulation of revenue records and illegal lease approvals. Police have launched a wider investigation into the financial trail and the involvement of additional accused.
Protected Government Land Allegedly Allotted Through Forged Records
According to investigators, the alleged irregularities relate to government-owned land located in Asadpur and Sukhela villages along the Ganga river.
Authorities allege that revenue records were manipulated to convert protected government land into land shown as eligible for lease allotments.
Investigators claim that forged entries were inserted into official land records, creating an appearance of legal ownership and enabling subsequent lease approvals.
Inquiry Found Alleged Irregularities in Land Allocation
Officials said an initial set of disputed allotments had reportedly been cancelled in 2018.
However, investigators allege that despite earlier action, additional lease approvals were subsequently processed in 2019, resulting in approximately 162 disputed leases.
According to the inquiry, nearly 1,000 bighas of government land were allegedly allotted to ineligible beneficiaries through manipulated records.
The alleged discrepancies were identified after investigators compared historical land records with geographical mapping and official survey data.
Six Accused Sent to Judicial Custody
Police have arrested the following individuals:
- Retired SDM Omveer Singh
- Former District Government Counsel (Revenue) Jai Bhardwaj
- Retired Revenue Inspector Rajveer Singh
- Retired Assistant Consolidation Officer Mahendra Singh
- Consolidation Lekhpal Bhimrao
- Former Asadpur village head Vikrant Kumar
Following initial interrogation, all six were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
Financial Trail and Remaining Accused Under Investigation
Police said an FIR was registered against 19 individuals based on the inquiry findings.
Investigators are currently searching for the remaining accused while examining:
- Land records
- Financial transactions
- Revenue files
- Bank accounts
- Lease approvals
- Digital evidence
Authorities are attempting to determine the full financial impact of the alleged illegal land transfers.
Revenue Safeguards Expected to Strengthen
The case has renewed focus on the need for stronger controls over public land administration.
Government departments increasingly rely on digital land records, GIS mapping and layered approval systems to reduce the risk of record manipulation.
Independent auditing services in india can further strengthen public land governance by reviewing land registers, approval workflows, digital access controls and revenue record integrity.
Conclusion
The Sambhal land scam investigation highlights the importance of transparent land administration and robust oversight of government property records.
As investigators continue examining the financial trail and searching for additional accused, the case underscores the growing role of digital verification and institutional accountability in protecting public assets.
Shunyatax Global Insight
Public land is among the government's most valuable assets, making transparent record management essential. Even minor weaknesses in revenue administration, approval processes or documentation can result in large-scale disputes and financial losses.
Shunyatax Global believes government departments should implement digital record verification, periodic land audits, GIS-based reconciliation and independent auditing services in india. Strong internal controls and regular compliance reviews can significantly reduce the risk of record manipulation and strengthen public confidence in land administration.