Lucknow — A years-old land scam in Uttar Pradesh’s capital has resurfaced with renewed force, after the state Vigilance Establishment filed a criminal case against former officials of the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA). The case, centred on the Priyadarshini (Jankipuram) housing scheme, alleges a web of forged records, manipulated approvals, and collusion at senior levels of the city’s land allotment system.
A Paper Trail of Fraud
The inquiry accuses several officials of systematically altering the housing scheme’s records. According to the vigilance report, forged signatures, fabricated allotment letters, and tampered approvals enabled illegal transfers of prime plots. A forensic examination confirmed that possession letters, sale deeds, and allotment proposals bore falsified authorisations.
The accused include Virendra Singh, a former section officer, alleged to have issued possession letters using forged signatures; Devendra Singh Rathore, then deputy secretary, accused of authorising fraudulent allotments; and Ambi Bisht, a former property officer, charged with endorsing forged deeds. Senior cost accountant Suresh Vishnu Mahadane and junior assistant Shailendra Kumar Gupta allegedly colluded with the late clerk Muktishwar Nath Ojha to manipulate property valuations and fabricate supporting records.
India to Honour Top CISOs from Police, Law Enforcement, and Defence Forces
First flagged in 2016, complaints of irregularities triggered a vigilance probe that has now concluded. The report states that each official played “a key role in altering plot allocations and conducting fraudulent registrations,” resulting in substantial financial losses for the state exchequer.
Politics in the Background
While the scam is framed as bureaucratic misconduct, its political overtones are hard to ignore. Opposition leaders argue the case illustrates how land allocation in Uttar Pradesh often reflects political influence as much as due process. The scandal, they say, reinforces public perceptions that resources intended for ordinary citizens are diverted into networks of privilege.
For residents of Lucknow, the findings bring little surprise. “The system has long been vulnerable to manipulation,” said a local activist. “Housing schemes meant for the middle class are routinely hijacked through forged paperwork and insider collusion.”
What Comes Next
Legal proceedings are underway, though experts predict a prolonged trial. If the charges hold, the case could become a benchmark in exposing entrenched collusion between bureaucrats and political patrons — and a sobering reminder of the fragility of institutional integrity in the state.
As one retired civil servant observed, “The documents may be forged, the signatures fabricated, but the story they reveal — of power bending the rules — is painfully real.”
