THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Bokaro, July 12: In a breakthrough, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested two individuals—Izhar Hussain and Akhtar Hussain—in connection with the illegal purchase and sale of over 100 acres of forest land in Tetulia Mouza, Bokaro district. The arrests took place on Saturday as part of an ongoing investigation into a large-scale land scam involving fake documentation.
Forest Land Sold Using Forged Papers
The accused are alleged to have conspired in the fabrication of land ownership documents to fraudulently claim and sell valuable forest property. Sources confirm that the land in question had originally been transferred back to the Forest Department by Bokaro Steel Plant. However, through a web of collusion involving land mafias, government staff, and possibly Bokaro Steel Plant officials, the land was unlawfully sold.
The scam is being probed not only by the CID but also by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The matter has escalated to the Supreme Court, which has now directed the state government to submit original land documents for review.
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Documents Tampered, Pages Torn
CID officers, during several visits to Bokaro, unearthed disturbing findings at the Chas circle officer’s office, where they scrutinised land records alongside Bokaro Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rajneesh Kumar. During the inspection, pages from volume 60 to 75—holding records of approximately 400 acres of residential land—were found missing or torn, raising serious questions about deliberate tampering.
Case Registered, Investigation Ongoing
Following an FIR lodged by Forest Guard Rudra Pratap Singh of the Bokaro Forest Division, CID officially took over the case, registered as No. 32/2024 at Sector 12 Police Station. The DGP of Jharkhand, Anurag Gupta, confirmed the arrests and assured that the investigation is progressing swiftly.
A Decade of Land-Grabbing Allegations
This scandal isn’t isolated—fraudulent land transfers have long plagued Bokaro:
- As far back as 2016, a Special Investigation Team uncovered the illegal transfer of nearly 68,000 acres of government forest and non-forest land across Bokaro district, with about 20,000 acres in Chas alone found mutated through fake documents.
- Authorities also discovered 8,000 acres of suspicious settlements, with many involving government officials or their relatives.
- Tribal lands and official forest plots were often converted into residential and industrial plots using forged mutation entries.
ED Intensifies Probe into Forest-Land Transactions
The illegal land transfers recently caught the attention of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has been investigating serious money-laundering allegations:
- On April 22, 2025, ED teams raided 15–16 locations across Jharkhand and Bihar tied to the theft and sale of 103–117 acres of forest land in Tetulia Mouza, including offices of forest authorities, Bokaro Steel Plant administration, registrar, and homes of involved individuals.
- The case originated from a March 18, 2024 FIR filed by Forest Guard Rudra Pratap Singh in Sector 12 police station .
- Documents relating to 74.38 acres were flagged by ED’s April raids; suspects claimed rightful ownership via a 1933 British-era auction, but the auction deed (Deed No. 191) was later proven forged.
The Latest Arrests: Fresh Evidence Emerges
The recent CID arrests of Izhar and Akhtar Hussain stem from a pattern of forged genealogies:
- The accused purported they inherited 133.64 acres via a 1933 auction (Deed No. 191) and a will by “Sameer Mahato.” However, when verified, Registry Office records showed no such documents—confirming forgery.
- During ED raids, ₹1.30 crore in cash was seized from Banka-based financier Bir Agarwal, suspected of funding land purchases via Rajbir Construction.
This latest development has sent shockwaves through the administrative corridors of Bokaro, particularly among white-collar officials allegedly linked to the scam.
