India: The presence of the land mafia in Punjab has reached unprecedented levels, with the emerging reports pointing to a substantial nexus operating in the city of Zirakpur. Unveiling the involvement of a real estate and architecture firm- Daws and Kahlon, sources have alleged that their primary target was innocent Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who were looking to invest in commercial and residential properties in Punjab.
While operating under the shadow of different high-ranking officials, the mafia has defrauded and harassed NRIs, resulting in their stepping back from investing in their home country. With the involvement of hundreds of realtors and mafia members, the illegal operation became strong and successful in cheating thousands of victims. The entire episode of Mafia has been significantly impacting the economy of Punjab.
As per the reports, retired colonel Dalvinder Singh Kahlon is accused of defrauding several NRIs in a series of mafia-related incidents as he willfully disregarded the agreed-upon terms, further causing severe financial harm to victims.
Several reports have also suggested the involvement of several organizations and individuals in such fraudulent practices. Outlining their criteria of operating a mafia, the reports mentioned that first, they sold land to non-resident Indians (NRIs) and then refused to give possession of the land even after complete payment had been made for the property.
In order to present themselves as legitimate, these individuals or organizations provide a registry of the land and accept the full payment from the buyer. However, they refuse to hand over possession of the land to the buyer once they receive full payment. Besides this, they also asked for additional payment from the buyer in order to hand over the possession. The entire criteria have been used by mafia groups to execute their illegal and unethical practice of fraud.
The retired colonel, along with his son Adiljit Singh Kahlon and their real estate firm called Daws & Kahlon, has been implicated in multiple fraudulent activities. They are suspected of being associated with a land mafia that preys on NRIs.
Several reports have also indicated the involvement of some high-ranked officials working in the land departments. Numerous complaints have also been lodged against hundreds of such individuals in this major fraud. However, a significant course of action has never been taken against them due to their power and connections with several officials, helping them to flee from all such allegations.
The land mafia has proved as a major setback for the efforts of the Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, in the department of bringing more investments into the state.
As per reports, the vigilance bureau, in collaboration with the Punjab Police, is preparing to conduct a coordinated operation to apprehend the mafia, which primarily operates in the Tricity region.
While damaging the economy of Punjab, the land mafia has been harassing people on a big scale. In order to generate employment, the state’s reliance on agriculture has been seeking to enhance investment. However, the entire scenario of the state has been demanding robust plans and initiatives to mitigate such mafia operations and protect the economy from deterioration.
