Gurgaon: A probe into land transactions in Farrukhnagar tehsil has uncovered widespread irregularities in property registrations, implicating two tehsildars and a naib tehsildar in authorising at least 254 fraudulent land registries over a four-month period. The violations, according to revenue department officials, may have cost the Haryana exchequer several crores of rupees.
The investigation report, prepared by the Pataudi Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), revealed that the officials used manipulated property IDs and forged documents to convert agricultural land into urban plots and legitimise illegal colonies.
Names and Numbers: Who Cleared the Registries
The probe detailed the role of each officer:
- Tehsildar Navjeet Kaur authorised 94 illegal registries.
- Naib Tehsildar Aruna Kumari cleared 89 transactions.
- Tehsildar Rita Grover sanctioned 71 fraudulent deals.
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These registries, carried out between April and August this year, primarily involved agricultural land being subdivided into smaller plots for unauthorised colonies.
Complaints and High-Level Intervention
The inquiry was ordered on September 8 by Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner Sumitra Mishra, following complaints lodged by activist Ramesh Yadav. Yadav alleged that several land deals bypassed Haryana’s mandatory online registration system, designed to ensure transparency. Others were executed through general powers of attorney (GPA), which are barred under state regulations.
Based on Yadav’s evidence, a special investigation team led by Divisional Commissioner R.C. Bidhan and comprising the Pataudi SDM was constituted. The report has since been forwarded by Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar to the revenue department headquarters in Chandigarh for further action.
Wider Probe Beyond Farrukhnagar
Officials confirmed that the irregularities are not limited to Farrukhnagar. Investigations are also underway in Badshapur and Manesar tehsils:
- In Badshapur, plots were legitimised without mandatory clearances from the Town and Country Planning Department.
- In Manesar, registries were allegedly executed in the names of individuals who were not the actual landowners.
This comes against the backdrop of earlier crackdowns, including the suspension of a naib tehsildar in Gurgaon’s Kadipur for hundreds of illegal land registries and GPA transactions. Reports suggest that officials demanded bribes ranging from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹3 lakh per registry.
Next Steps: Accountability and Reforms
Authorities have promised corrective measures and strict legal action against those found guilty, alongside systemic reforms to prevent recurrence. The revenue department will now explore tighter oversight mechanisms to plug loopholes in the registry system.
“Such irregularities not only erode governance credibility but also directly affect farmers and citizens whose lands are manipulated,” said a senior official.
As Gurgaon continues to expand rapidly, land registry scams have become a recurring concern, exposing the nexus between local officials and land mafia networks. The latest probe signals a renewed push by the Haryana government to clean up the system and restore accountability.
