Historic Airstrip Sold Illegally, Restored to Defense Ministry

Ferozepur, July 1 (PTI): An airstrip near Ferozepur, utilized by the Indian Air Force during the 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars, was allegedly sold by a woman and her son with the complicity of revenue officials in 1997. In a turn of events, the land was reinstated to the defense ministry after a retired revenue official’s complaint prompted an investigation.

On June 28, authorities registered a case against Usha Ansal and her son Naveen Chand Ansal, of Dumni Wala village, under sections of the IPC including 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) at the Kulgarhi station.

This land, part of 982 acres acquired by the British in 1939 for the Royal Air Force during WWII, was also used by the IAF for emergency landings during the 1962, 1965, and 1971 conflicts.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Karan Sharma noted that Nishan Singh, a retired revenue official, initially raised the issue. Singh’s complaint to the Chief Director of the Vigilance Bureau sparked an investigation, culminating in an FIR against the Ansals.

The inquiry revealed that the accused, in concert with some lower-level revenue officials, allegedly sold the airforce land fraudulently.

The fraudulent transaction, involving 118 Kanal 16 Marla of land at Fattuwala village, was highlighted after the Air Force Station Halwara’s Commandant initiated an inquiry through Station Headquarters Ferozepur on April 16, 2021.

Nishan Singh also sought judicial intervention over the delay in the inquiry, leading to a Punjab and Haryana High Court directive on December 21, 2023, for the Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner to conclude the investigation within six months.

The Deputy Commissioner’s report stated the land remained under IAF control as per 1958-59 revenue records. However, dissatisfied with this report, Nishan Singh filed another court petition, alleging omissions and improper transfer of land ownership to private individuals in 2001.

In May, the controversially transferred part of the advanced landing ground was returned to the Ministry of Defence, following district-level inquiry findings.

The land was initially assigned in 1964 to Madan Mohan Lal and Tek Chand, designated "Crop Managers" under Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s plan to use idle defense lands for agriculture amid a food crisis. Post Madan’s demise, the land was allegedly sold using his general power of attorney.

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