Panchkula Land Scam: Rs 4.8 Crore Profit in 21 Days Leads to Tehsildar Arrest
In a shocking case of alleged corruption, a close associate of a Haryana revenue official purchased 17 acres of land in Panchkula for just Rs 1 crore, only to resell it three weeks later for a staggering Rs 5.8 crore—pocketing an illicit profit of Rs 4.8 crore. The transaction was executed despite a Supreme Court stay on properties linked to the Pearls Group, a company under investigation for a massive ponzi scam.
ACB Arrests Tehsildar, Investigates Revenue Officials
The Haryana State Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Vikram Singla, the tehsildar of Raipur Rani tehsil in Panchkula district, in connection with the fraudulent land deal. Singla, 48, was arrested on January 31 and is currently in judicial custody after a five-day police remand. The ACB informed a Panchkula court that Singla, along with District Revenue Officer (DRO) Joginder Sharma of the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and Bhiwani resident Naveen, "earned profits running into crores from this land."
The bureau has confirmed its intention to interrogate Sharma and his associate Naveen, having already conducted searches at their premises. To avoid arrest, Sharma has filed an anticipatory bail plea in a Panchkula court, scheduled for hearing on February 11. His counsel, Deepanshu Bansal, stated that the court has sought a response from the ACB on the bail application.
Details of the Fraudulent Transaction
The land in question, located in Raipur Rani tehsil of Panchkula district, was allegedly part of Pearls Group properties attached by investigating agencies years ago. The Central Bureau of Investigation had notified state revenue officials about these attachments in 2016 and again in 2019. According to the ACB, Singla executed at least five registries of Pearls Group properties, including one where a woman named Baldev Kaur applied for the release of her 17 acres from attachment, which was cleared within days.
On October 16, 2025, the land was registered in Naveen's name for approximately Rs 1 crore. Merely 21 days later, on November 6, 2025, Naveen sold it to four buyers for Rs 5.8 crore. The ACB alleges that Singla was fully aware that the attached land could not be sold or transferred, yet he colluded with landowners to register the 17 acres in Naveen's name and facilitated its release through a patwari within 13 days.
Officials claim Singla executed the registration, inheritance mutation, and sale deed in violation of rules, providing undue benefit to his associates and potentially causing significant losses to Pearls Group investors. They also suspect "large-scale financial transactions in connection with the deal."
Defense Counters ACB Claims
Counsel Deepanshu Bansal, who is representing both Singla and Sharma, has strongly contested the ACB's allegations. He argued that the arrest of Vikram Singla is "a violation of Supreme Court directions in the matter" and stated, "There is no allegation of either demanding or accepting a bribe against the revenue official."
Bansal further claimed, "The record does not establish that the land concerned was part of the Pearls Group. The prosecution is insisting there was a Supreme Court stay, but at present there is nothing on record to corroborate this. There is no case here. The investigating agency is proceeding on whims and fancies. The arrest of Vikram Singla is legally unsustainable."
He added that no notice was issued to Singla under Section 35 of the BNSS before action was taken, and the agency failed to comply with Supreme Court directions in the Arnesh Kumar case. Bansal emphasized, "There is neither a complaint nor any aggrieved party in this matter."
Background: Pearls Group Ponzi Scam
The Pearls Group is currently under investigation for a Rs 45,000-crore ponzi scam, adding gravity to this land deal case. The ACB's actions highlight ongoing concerns about corruption and regulatory violations in Haryana's land transactions, particularly involving attached properties.
This case underscores the urgent need for stricter oversight and accountability in land registry processes to prevent such fraudulent activities that exploit legal loopholes and cause financial harm.
