Ferozepur, Punjab:
A shocking case of military land fraud has emerged from Fattuwala village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, where a woman and her son allegedly sold a 15-acre Indian Air Force (IAF) airstrip. The land was used in India’s wars with Pakistan in 1962, 1965, and 1971. After 28 years, based on a recent Punjab and Haryana High Court order, an FIR has now been registered against the accused.
The fraud, involving manipulation of land records and the use of forged documents, came to light following a petition by a retired revenue official, Nishan Singh, who alerted the Vigilance Bureau and sought a CBI probe.
🕵️♂️ How the Scam Unfolded: 5 Key Points
1. The Petition that Triggered the Case:
Retired revenue official Nishan Singh approached the High Court, claiming that strategic land belonging to the Indian Air Force was fraudulently transferred to private names in 2001. He argued this airstrip holds national security significance, located near the Indo-Pak border.
2. Letters to the Punjab Governor:
After local revenue officials failed to respond, IAF officials wrote directly to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit in February 2024. They alleged that fake sale deeds and forged documents were used to sell the military land in 1997 by Usha Ansal and her son Naveen.
3. British-era Airstrip Under Air Force Control:
The airstrip forms part of a 982-acre land parcel acquired in 1939 by the British for Royal Air Force operations during World War II. Post-independence, the land was handed over to the Indian Defence Ministry and is currently controlled by IAF’s Halwara Air Base near Ludhiana.
4. Buyers Sued the Army in 2008:
The fraud was exposed when land buyers filed a civil case in 2008, demanding the Army vacate the land. They claimed peaceful possession since 1997 until the Army allegedly evicted them in 2006.
5. Farming Managers Were Never Owners:
In the 1960s, PM Lal Bahadur Shastri’s government had temporarily allowed civilians to cultivate unused cantonment land. The accused’s family had been farming managers — but never legal owners. The scheme ended after the Green Revolution, and all such lands were handed back to the Defence Ministry.
📢 High Court Intervention & Current Status
Due to delays in investigation, the Punjab & Haryana High Court ordered the Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner in December 2023 to complete the inquiry in six weeks. The DC confirmed the land still belongs to the Defence Ministry as per 1958-59 records. However, after further legal motions by Nishan Singh, critical evidence led to the official handover of the land back to the Defence Ministry in May 2025.
The accused—Usha Ansal and her son—are now booked under sections related to forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. Police investigations are ongoing to identify other possible conspirators in the revenue department.
