A major land fraud case has surfaced in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district, raising serious questions over the transparency and verification mechanisms in land registration and revenue records. Allegedly, a group of individuals sold 5 bighas of agricultural land worth ₹46 lakh by impersonating a woman as the rightful owner. The entire payment was reportedly made through bank transactions, but it later emerged that the person shown as the owner was not the actual landholder.
The case pertains to the Hanumangarh Junction police station area and came to light after a complaint was filed by a former village sarpanch and administrator. According to the complaint, in September 2025, a man named Sushil Kumar from Fazilka approached the complainant claiming that his aunt, Nirmala Devi, owned 5 bighas of agricultural land in Chak 19 HMH and wished to sell it. After discussions, a deal was finalized for ₹46 lakh.
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The False Identification and RTGS Transfer
As per the complaint, on September 18, 2025, Sushil Kumar arrived with a woman and introduced her as Nirmala Devi. Based on this identification, the land registry process was completed. Another individual named Deepu from Fazilka was also present during the transaction.
The entire payment of ₹46 lakh was transferred via Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) into Sushil Kumar’s bank account. Following the transaction, mutation and other revenue-related procedures were also completed, making the deal appear legally valid on paper.
Discovery of the Deception
However, the case took a dramatic turn on June 1, 2026, when the real Nirmala Devi visited the sub-registrar’s office and claimed that her land had been fraudulently sold using another woman’s identity. This revelation shocked the buyer, who immediately attempted to contact the accused, but they were found to be unreachable.
Following this, a formal police complaint was registered alleging a well-planned conspiracy. It is claimed that Sushil Kumar, Deepu, and an unidentified woman collaborated to impersonate the real landowner, prepare forged documents, and fraudulently collect ₹46 lakh. Authorities suspect that tampering may have also occurred in the identity and ownership documents used during the land registry process.
Systemic Lapses and Legal Action
The police have registered a criminal case against all three accused under charges of fraud and related sections and have launched a detailed investigation. Initial inquiries are focusing heavily on the authenticity of the identity documents provided, witness verification protocols, and how the subsequent mutation was approved in official revenue records.
The incident has raised serious concerns at the local level regarding the systemic loopholes in the land registration setup and the manual verification process of ownership documents. Legal and property experts believe that such cases highlight the urgent need for stronger biometric identity verification systems and improved digital record-keeping to prevent impersonation-based land fraud.
Investigations are currently ongoing, and police are scrutinizing all financial transactions, registry papers, and supporting bank records to track down the fugitives.
