Former Land Acquisition Officer Apprehended in Major Bharatmala Compensation Scam
In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the Bharatmala land compensation scandal, the Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau has successfully arrested key accused Nirbhay Kumar Sahu. The former sub-divisional officer and competent authority for land acquisition in Abhanpur, Raipur district, had been evading authorities for an extended period.
Criminal Conspiracy and Official Misconduct
Investigators have alleged that Sahu, while serving as the competent authority for land acquisition at Abhanpur, grossly misused his official position. According to the agency, he entered into a criminal conspiracy with subordinate revenue staff, including a patwari and revenue inspector, as well as land dealer Harmeet Singh Khanuja, Uma Tiwari, and other individuals.
ACB/EOW chief Amresh Mishra stated that Sahu faces charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including:
- IPC sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant)
- 467 (forgery of valuable security)
- 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating)
- 471 (using as genuine a forged document)
- 420 (cheating)
- 120B (criminal conspiracy)
Additionally, he has been charged under Sections 7(c) and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. These charges relate to alleged irregularities in compensation disbursal for the Raipur-Visakhapatnam and Durg bypass stretches of the Bharatmala road project.
Sophisticated Fraud Mechanisms Uncovered
The investigation has revealed sophisticated methods employed to defraud the state exchequer. According to the probe, land parcels affected by the project in villages Nayakbandha, Ugetra, Urla, Bhelwadih, and Tokaro under Abhanpur tehsil were allegedly split into multiple sub-plots using backdated entries.
This manipulation enabled compensation to be paid at amounts several times higher than the actual entitlement, resulting in substantial financial losses to the government.
Even more egregiously, the agency has alleged that land previously acquired for the Nayakbandha reservoir was shown as acquired again for the Bharatmala project. Compensation was then paid afresh for this already-acquired land, causing losses amounting to crores of rupees to the state treasury.
Extended Evasion and Legal Proceedings
Officials confirmed that Sahu had been on the run for a considerable duration, with persistent efforts to trace him proving challenging. His legal options had been narrowing significantly in recent times.
- His anticipatory bail plea had been rejected by the Supreme Court
- Permanent arrest warrants had been issued against him
- Proclamation orders had been issued against him and other absconding public servants by the special court
Following his arrest, the agency produced Sahu before the special court in Raipur. The court granted police remand from March 17 to March 30, allowing investigators to conduct further questioning and gather additional evidence in this complex case.
The Bharatmala Pariyojana, a flagship highway development program of the Indian government, has been marred by several corruption allegations across different states. This arrest represents a crucial step in addressing systemic issues within land acquisition processes for major infrastructure projects.
