Latest news with #BenamiProhibitionUnit
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IT's benami unit attaches 12 acres of tribal land near Bandhavgarh tiger reserve in MP
Bhopal: The Income Tax department 's Benami Prohibition Unit in Bhopal has provisionally attached nearly 12 acres of tribal land located in the buffer zone of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. The land, valued at approximately Rs 90 lakh, was allegedly acquired using unaccounted cash by a wealthy businessman from Nagod tehsil in Satna district, in the name of his tribal employee— a benami transaction intended to bypass laws protecting tribal land. The attached properties, situated in village Tala and Village Mahaman of Tehsil Manpur, Umaria district, were purchased between 2023 and 2024 in the name of Raja, a Scheduled Tribe who worked as a driver for the accused businessman for over 20 years. All three plots are within the buffer zone of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, a significant ecotourism area attracting visitors globally. Officials stated that the lands were acquired with the clear intent of commercial development, including resorts, restaurants, and homestays. Two of the plots were already under active construction for homestays, while a third strategic plot is located just 1.3 km from the Tala Gate, the main entry point to the national park, adjacent to Nature Heritage Resort, a well-known property in the region. Officials said that Raja, the registered landowner, has extremely limited means. His family of seven resides in a one-room house with a tin roof on govt land, and he lacks the financial capacity to purchase land valued in lakhs of rupees. Investigations revealed that the actual buyer, the businessman from Satna, used cash payments to acquire the land. Some payments were made directly to the tribal sellers, while other amounts were deposited into Raja's bank account and subsequently transferred to the sellers—a common method to disguise benami ownership. In notified scheduled tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, tribal land cannot be transferred to non-tribals without specific approval from the district collector, according to Section 165(6) of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959. This regulation safeguards tribal land rights in areas with significant tribal populations. However, in this case, the businessman circumvented the restriction by registering the land in the name of his tribal employee. Officials stated that this was done deliberately to exploit loopholes and develop commercial properties in a restricted zone. Based on the findings, the IT Department's Benami Unit in Bhopal initiated proceedings under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions (PBPT) Act, 1988. A show-cause notice under Section 24(1) was issued to both the benamidar, Raja, and the beneficial owner, the businessman. The three land parcels, totaling 11.878 acres, have been provisionally attached under Section 24(3) of the PBPT Act, preventing their sale, transfer, or alteration during the stipulated four-month notice period. Officials highlighted that this case reflects a growing pattern of non-tribals using tribal proxies to acquire valuable land near protected zones for commercial tourism projects. Madhya Pradesh, which has the highest tribal population in India, is home to eight tiger reserves, many located in tribal-dominated regions. "These benami setups not only violate tribal land protection laws but also threaten the ecological balance of sensitive areas," said a senior official involved in the case. More such cases are being monitored, particularly around ecotourism hotspots like Bandhavgarh, Kanha, and Pench.
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Driver on paper, boss in shadow: Businessman buys tribal land in driver's name near Bandhavgarh buffer zone
BHOPAL: The Income Tax Department 's Benami Prohibition Unit in Bhopal has provisionally attached nearly 12 acres of tribal land located in the buffer zone of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. The land, worth approximately Rs 90 lakh, was allegedly acquired using unaccounted cash by a wealthy businessman from Nagod tehsil, Satna district, in the name of his tribal employee — a benami transaction designed to bypass laws protecting tribal land. The attached properties — located in Village Tala and Village Mahaman of Tehsil Manpur, District Umaria — were purchased across 2023 and 2024 in the name of Raja, a member of a Scheduled Tribe who works as a driver for the accused businessman and has been in his service for over 20 years. All three plots fall within the buffer zone of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, a high-value ecotourism area that draws visitors from around the world. According to officials, the lands were acquired with the clear intent of commercial development — including resorts, restaurants, and homestays. Two of the three plots were already under active construction for homestays, while one highly strategic plot lies just 1.3 km from the Tala Gate, the main entry point to the national park. This plot is located next to Nature Heritage Resort, a well-known property in the region. Officials said Raja, the registered owner of the land, is a person of extremely limited means. His family of seven lives in a one-room house with a tin roof, built on government land, and he lacks any financial capacity to purchase land worth lakhs of rupees. Investigations revealed that the actual buyer, the businessman from Satna, used cash payments to acquire the land. Some payments were made directly to the tribal sellers, while other amounts were deposited into Raja's bank account and subsequently transferred to the sellers — a typical route used to disguise benami ownership. In notified scheduled tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, tribal land cannot be transferred to non-tribals without specific approval from the District Collector, as per Section 165(6) of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959. The regulation is designed to safeguard tribal land rights in areas where tribals form a large portion of the population. However, in this case, the businessman circumvented the restriction by registering the land in the name of his tribal employee. Officials say this was done deliberately to exploit loopholes and develop commercial properties in a restricted zone. Based on the findings, the IT Department's Benami Unit in Bhopal initiated proceedings under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions (PBPT) Act, 1988. A show-cause notice under Section 24(1) has been issued to both the benamidar (Raja) and the beneficial owner (the businessman). The three land parcels — totalling 11.878 acres — have now been provisionally attached under Section 24(3) of the PBPT Act, preventing their sale, transfer, or alteration during the stipulated notice period of four months. Officials say this case highlights a growing pattern where non-tribals use tribal proxies to acquire valuable land near protected zones for commercial tourism projects. Madhya Pradesh, which has the highest tribal population in India, is home to eight tiger reserves, many of them located in tribal-dominated regions. 'These benami setups not only violate tribal land protection laws but also threaten the ecological balance of sensitive areas,' said a senior official involved in the case. More such cases are under the scanner, especially around ecotourism hotspots like Bandhavgarh, Kanha, and Pench.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
I-T's benami unit attaches 170 acre of land in MP linked to private firm
Bhopal: In a major crackdown on alleged benami transactions , the Benami Prohibition Unit of the Income Tax department has provisionally attached 170 acres of land in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh, under Section 24(3) of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions (PBPT) Act, 1988. The attached land is part of a larger block of approximately 700 acres across 112 khasras, originally purchased in 2011 for Rs 10.35 crore. The transactions were made in the names of Kardam Mishra and Ajay Kumar — both salaried employees of a wholly-owned subsidiary firm of a major private company. According to the department's findings, Mishra and Kumar were employees with nominal salaries, and their financial profiles did not support such a substantial investment in immovable property. During investigation, Mishra admitted under oath that the properties were purchased by senior officials of the private company in their names. A forensic financial analysis revealed that payments to the original landowners were made directly from the company's bank accounts. Subsequently, these properties were registered in the name of Prosperous Energy Pvt. Ltd. Meanwhile, the "consideration amount" was shown as routed through the bank accounts of Mishra and Kumar, only to be transferred back to the company in multiple tranches, indicating a classic case of layered benami transactions. The Income Tax department has determined that the real ownership and beneficial use of these properties rested with the private company and its subsidiary. This arrangement falls squarely under the definition of a "benami transaction" as per Section 2(9)(A) of the PBPT Act. A show-cause notice under Section 24(1) has been served to both the benamidars and the beneficial owners. Adding another layer to the case, it was discovered that the company had secured a short-term loan of Rs 925 crore from IDBI Bank by mortgaging these properties, along with others belonging to private firm. Due to default in repayment, IDBI Bank auctioned several of these properties. However, 46 khasras, covering approximately 170 acres, remained unsold and have now been provisionally attached to prevent any further alienation. Further proceedings under the PBPT Act are underway.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Thousands participate in marathon held to promote sustainable living
Aimed at raising awareness about environmental protection and promoting sustainable living, around a thousand people participated in the Green Run 2025's 3-km and 5-km marathons on Sunday at the YMCA Grounds in Nandanam. Organised by Geo India Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, dedicated to environmental conservation and community welfare, the event was flagged off by M. Aswin, Deputy Development Commissioner, Madras Export Processing Zone, in the presence of Ammu Jayaraj, Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax (Benami Prohibition Unit), Chennai, and actor Parvathy Nair. Priya Jemima, founder of Geo India Foundation, said: 'Green Run is more than a fitness event — it is a movement that inspires collective responsibility toward preserving our environment,' a press release said.
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
New hope of preserving Aravalli forest crops up in form of boards in Faridabad
The first boards appeared last week; then more did. All say the same thing: 'This property, 430 acres of land at village Mangar has been attached by Benami Prohibition Unit, Chandigarh of Income Tax Department.'The boards have given environmentalists hope that at least 430 acres of what once used to be village commons will be recognised as 'deemed forest' and preserved for posterity. After all, this is no ordinary land. Mangar spread over 4262 acres (of which 3810 acres is hill area) is among the most biodiversity rich areas of the Aravallis in the National Capital Region (NCR). Within Mangar village, Mangar Bani (677.12 acres) is NCR's most sacred grove, and possibly the only patch of primary forest in the region. It is also home to around 240 species of birds and 15 species of mammals including leopards and hyenas. Many experts believe the integrity of the Aravallis is intrinsic to the well-being of around 64 million people who live in NCR. Though Mangar meets all criteria for a forest,it has still not been classified as such by the Haryana government. The Supreme Court's December 12, 1996 verdict in TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs. Union of India & Others case directed that 'forests' would not only include those understood in the dictionary sense, but also any area recorded as forest in government records irrespective of the ownership. HT reported on October 3, 2023 that the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 will benefit real estate companies that own land in what was to be declared 'deemed forest' in Haryana's Aravallis. One of the contentious provisions of the new law is that it exempts unrecorded deemed forests from the modified law on forest conservation and hence leaves areas such as Mangar Bani vulnerable. Though the notice boards by IT department do not mention the companies involved in benami (shell company- or proxy) transactions, jamabandi papers and IT department orders perused by Hindustan Times point to Kenwood Mercantile Private Limited and Goodfaith Builders Private Limited . One document, from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Benami Prohibition Unit, dated December 31, 2019 states: 'Whereas information was received by the undersigned, after indepth perusal of which a prima-facie satisfaction was arrived at to hold and believe, that the shareholdings of the companies Kenwood Mercantile Private Limited and Goodfaith Builders Private Limited and thereby the rights over the 430 acres of land at Village Mangar, Faridabad owned by these two Companies are Benami Properties.' That document also points to the beneficial owners as M3M India Holdings and six individuals. M3M did not respond to queries from HT. A ministry of finance order dated March 29, 2022, also perused by HT, confirms that these are benami properties that are being attached. However, boards have come up in Mangar demarcating the area only last week. The matter is now in the Punjab Haryana High Court. The revenue record for Mangar from 1963-64 shows that the area is gair mumkin pahar (uncultivable land) and recorded as panchayat deh or owned by panchayat. HT's analysis of jamabandi papers in 2023 had revealed that large parts of land in Mangar and Mangar Bani are owned by companies like M3M, Ireo and the Patanjali group. Around 1973-74, through a mutation (no 155), around 3809.63 acres of land here was mutated from panchayat deh to shamlat deh and further sub-divided for private sale. The mutation was sanctioned on the basis of an order of a sub-judge in Ballabhgarh dated March 14, 1973, according to Chetan Agrawal, a Gurugram based forest analyst. 'Some villagers from Mangar moved the local court to get a judgement in their favour to privatise the common land. That was the beginning of how land started to be sold to private developers in Mangar. Thereafter, several other villages near Mangar also moved court to get an order to privatise. Around 1985-86, the consolidation proceedings were misused to illegally partition the panchayat/shamlat hill area of Mangar,' added Agarwal. Agarwal wrote to Deputy Commissioner, Faridabad on July 12, 2022 asking for a cancellation of Mutation No. 155 in Mangar village and restoration of ownership and control of Mangar Bani sacred grove and other gair mum kin pahar shamlat common lands to the panchayat. The Supreme Court in a judgement dated April, 7, 2022 in Civil Appeal No. 6990 of 2014 State of Haryana v. Jai Singh citing earlier judgements held that shamlat land is to be vested with the Panchayat.. In an earlier judgement dated January 28, 2011 in Jagpal Singh v. State of Punjab, {2011) also, the SC had held that all common lands including shamlat lands must be restored to the Gram Panchayats. A PIL has also been filed in the High Court in 2022 by retired Lt Col Oberoi to implement these judgements in Mangar and to restore the lands to the panchayats. FOREST SECRETARY QUOTE 'I am happy that the IT department has finally put up these boards. They have come up only now but these cases on benami transactions are years old. This will send a message to more real estate companies who bought land here through dubious transactions. It is unfortunate but villagers will always want economic benefit and possibly do not understand the value of commons. This is a paradise for birds, there are several wetlands here and all of Mangar acts as a groundwater recharge site for entire NCR,' said Sunil Harsana, conservationist and resident of Mangar village. 'This attachment of the forests of Mangar Bani provides a wakeup call to both citizens and decision makers on the murky nature of real estate holdings in the Aravalli forests, with hidden benami owners, and fraudulent privatisation of common lands. It exposes the kinds of interests behind the regulatory capture of forest and Aravalli policy-making in the state of Haryana – and why issues like the guidelines for identifying deemed forests as per dictionary meaning, are being stalled. The need of the hour is to conserve the Aravallis common land forests for their regional environmental benefits for the entire NCR, and firmly kept off limits for real estate,' said Agarwal. (The reporter is a recipient of Promise of Commons Media Fellowship, on the significance of Commons and its community stewardship)
