Raipur
The police filed the first charge sheet, running into approximately 7,500 pages, on Monday against ten individuals in connection with the alleged compensation scam related to the Bharatmala Project.
The charge sheet, presented before the Special Court (Prevention of Corruption Act) in Raipur, names public servants — Gopal Ram Verma and Narendra Kumar Nayak, along with private individuals — Uma Tiwari, Kedar Tiwari, Harmeet Singh Khnuja, Vijay Kumar Jain, Khemraj Koshle, Punuram Deshlahre, Bhojram Sahu, and Kundan Baghel.
They face charges under Sections 467, 468, 471, 420, 409, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Sections 7(c) and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended by the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018).
The investigation covers three primary areas:
- Backdated Land Records: Irregularities in backdated sub-division (batankan) and transfer of ownership (namantaran) of land in Nayakbandha, Tokro, and Urla villages, which were affected by the Bharatmala Project (Raipur–Visakhapatnam road construction). The probe found a nexus between revenue officials and middlemen, who allegedly prepared forged documents to secure higher compensation.
- Double Compensation: Illegal disbursement of compensation again for land that was already acquired earlier for the Nayakbandha reservoir.
- Fraudulent Transfer: Illegal transfer of land ownership and subsequent receipt of compensation by Uma Tiwari using forged documents.
The probe reveals that the State exchequer suffered a direct financial loss of approximately ₹32 crore across the three cases:
- ₹28 crore in backdated land records,
- ₹2 crore in double compensation, and
- ₹2 crore in fraudulent transfer.
Evidence related to all three cases has been compiled in the charge sheet.
The investigation further established that some Revenue Department officials colluded with private middleman Harmeet Singh Khnuja and his associates. The accused allegedly lured farmers with promises of higher compensation. The middlemen, in complicity with revenue officials, prepared fraudulent sub-division and ownership transfer papers, obtained signatures on blank cheques and RTGS forms, and transferred large portions of the compensation amount to their own accounts and those of associated firms.
In matters related to the Nayakbandha reservoir, former officials Narendra Nayak and Gopal Verma allegedly suppressed previous acquisition records, prepared false reports, and caused a loss of crores of rupees to the government, depriving legitimate rights from affected farmers. Additional Revenue and Technical Department officials were found involved in manipulation of land acquisition records and concealment of facts, strengthening the criminal conspiracy.
The investigation into other officials is ongoing. Collection of evidence concerning criminal conspiracy, misuse of office, and illegal gain was reportedly hampered as several officials — Nirbhay Sahu (former SDO, Revenue, Abhanpur), Dinesh Patel (Halka Patwari), Roshan Lal Verma (Revenue Inspector), Shashikant Kurre (former Tehsildar), Jitendra Sahu (former Halka Patwari No. 49, Nayakbandha), Basanti Ghritlahre (former Patwari), Lakheshwar Prasad Kiran (former Naib Tehsildar, Gobra Nawapara), and Lekhram Dewangan — remained absconding or failed to cooperate after securing legal relief. A separate charge sheet will be filed regarding their roles.
Examination and analysis of a large volume of documents related to the scam continue to determine the total financial fraud and extent of involvement of other officials and middlemen. This first charge sheet covers the cases where the investigation is complete, while a detailed probe is underway into irregularities in land acquisition in other project-affected villages, where the involvement of Harmeet Singh Khnuja and others has again surfaced.
Advanced investigation remains active.
