In a major crackdown, the Bikaner police arrested six people, including the kingpin of the controversial land deals connected to Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra.
Jay Prakash Bangarwa has been accused of preparing fake mutation documents to procure 360 hectares of land from Bikaner district administration. It was later sold to private companies, including those related to Vadra. However, the land was initially meant for the people who were displaced during expansion of Mahajan Field Firing Range in Bikaner.
“We have arrested Jay Prakash from his residence. Initial investigations reveal that fake documents were prepared with the help of some revenue officials at Bangarwa’s residence. Jay Prakash was the chairman of Lunkaransar agriculture mandi at that time,” said a senior police officer.
A case under IPC sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120(B) have already been registered against Bangarwa, he added.
In January, the Bikaner district administration had cancelled 18 fake mutations of 360 hectares of agricultural land located in Goyalri, Gajner, Indo Ka Bala and Mand villages near Kolayat town.
Several companies related to Vadra which includes Skylight Hospitality, Blue Bridge Trading Pvt Ltd, Real Earth Estates Pvt Ltd and North India IT Park Pvt Ltd purchased a major chunk from this land.
No official documents have been released to establish that Vadra's company had purchased the same land. But BJP MP from Bikaner, Arjun Ram Meghwal had been claiming that 40 per cent of the cancelled land was earlier purchased by Vadra.
After cancellation of fake mutations, a total of 13 FIRs were lodged by revenue officials in Gajner and Kolayat police stations. Police investigation revealed that 360 hectares of land was allotted to 16 farmers, who posed themselves as rehabilitators of Mahajan Field Firing Range. Later this land was sold to private companies.
Arrest of Jay Prakash holds immense importance for state and national BJP to counter the Congress on issues like Land Bill, Vyapam scam, ownership of Dholpur Palace and controversial link of BJP leaders with former IPL chief Lalit Modi.
The state Congress has been claiming that anyone can purchase land in any part of the country and there is nothing illegal about the land deals.