The Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed its first supplementary chargesheet against three former patwaris in connection with an alleged compensation scam linked to land acquisition for the Bharatmala Project’s proposed Raipur–Visakhapatnam economic corridor, estimating a prima facie loss of nearly ₹40 crore to the state exchequer.
The supplementary chargesheet was submitted before a special court in Raipur against Dinesh Patel, Lekhram Devangan and Basanti Ghritlahre, all former patwaris, who were arrested on October 29, 2025. The case has been registered under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
According to the ACB, the alleged scam involved a criminal conspiracy between public servants and private individuals to manipulate land records during the acquisition process, enabling inflated compensation payouts under the Bharatmala project.
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Investigators allege that land records were deliberately altered through backdated partition deeds, wrongful mutation entries and artificial subdivision of land parcels at the award stage. These manipulations, officials said, were carried out to project single land holdings as multiple plots, thereby substantially increasing the compensation amount payable to beneficiaries.
The ACB stated that land earmarked for acquisition was shown as subdivided only on paper, despite no physical division on the ground. This enabled accused officials to justify higher compensation rates, causing significant financial loss to the government.
Officials described the alleged irregularities as systematic and well-coordinated, pointing to misuse of statutory procedures meant to correct or update land records.
Roles of the Accused
The supplementary chargesheet details the alleged role of each accused patwari and the corresponding loss attributed to their actions.
Dinesh Patel, who was serving as patwari at the time, is accused of misusing land correction mechanisms and Form-10 procedures to falsely depict acquired land as artificially subdivided at the award stage. The ACB has estimated a loss of ₹30.82 crore in cases linked to his actions.
Lekhram Devangan, a former patwari, allegedly facilitated inflated compensation by portraying original khasra numbers as artificial subdivisions, leading to an estimated loss of ₹7.16 crore.
Basanti Ghritlahre, another former patwari, is accused of carrying out similar manipulations in land records, resulting in a purported loss of ₹1.67 crore.The agency noted that these figures are preliminary and subject to further verification as the investigation progresses.
Probe to Continue Against Other Accused
ACB officials clarified that the filing of the supplementary chargesheet does not conclude the investigation. Probe against other accused persons is ongoing, and further legal action may follow based on emerging evidence.
“This is the first supplementary chargesheet in the case. The investigation is continuing to identify the full extent of the conspiracy and the involvement of other individuals,” an official said.
The Bharatmala Project is one of the Centre’s flagship infrastructure initiatives aimed at strengthening national highways, economic corridors and logistics connectivity across the country. Allegations of large-scale irregularities in land acquisition under the project have raised concerns over administrative oversight and transparency in compensation processes.
The special court is expected to take up the matter for further proceedings, following which the process of framing of charges and trial is likely to commence.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
