Guava Orchard Scam: Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrests key accused in ₹12 crore compensation fraud

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Sukhdev Singh, a Chandigarh resident and key co-accused in the infamous Guava Orchard Scam that took place in Bakarpur village, SAS Nagar, between 2016-17. Singh had fraudulently secured approximately ₹12 crore in compensation under the guise of guava orchards, in collusion with government officials and other individuals.

A Fraudulent Compensation Scheme Unraveled

According to a VB spokesperson, Sukhdev Singh played an active role in orchestrating a criminal conspiracy that involved cheating, forgery, falsification of records, and bribery. The scam revolved around illegal claims for compensation in the Aerotropolis land acquisition project in SAS Nagar.

Singh purchased 3 Kanal 16 Marla of land in Bakarpur village and conspired with the prime accused, Bhupinder Singh, to falsely establish the presence of mature, fruit-bearing guava orchards on the land. To execute the fraud, they manipulated land records in collusion with a Horticulture Development Officer, who fraudulently assessed and certified the trees as being over three years old, thus making them eligible for compensation under the fruit-yielding tree category.

Collusion with Officials and Manipulated Land Records

The investigation further revealed that Singh and Bhupinder Singh had a mutual agreement wherein Sukhdev Singh financed the operation, including bribing officials, while Bhupinder Singh would retain two-thirds of the fraudulently obtained compensation.

In a bid to legitimize their false claims, the original Khasra Girdawri revenue records (2016-2021) were destroyed, and a forged Khasra Girdawri register was created in 2019 with the assistance of revenue Patwari Bachittar Singh. This doctored document falsely recorded the existence of mature guava orchards, making them eligible for large-scale compensation payouts from the Land Acquisition Collector (LAC), Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).

As a result, Singh and his wife Harbinder Kaur fraudulently received ₹2.4 crore and ₹9.57 crore, respectively, as compensation from GMADA’s Land Acquisition Collector (LAC).

Illegal Transactions to Transfer Fraudulently Gained Wealth

To further conceal and distribute the ill-gotten funds, Singh sold approximately 6 Bighas of land in Chappar Chiri village (SAS Nagar) at an undervalued price to Bhupinder Singh in 2022. Additionally, 32 Kanals of land in Kailon village, owned by his wife Harbinder Kaur, was also sold at an undervalued rate to Bhupinder Singh.

Evasion of Investigation and Legal Action

Despite multiple summons by the VB, Sukhdev Singh evaded legal proceedings and refused to cooperate with investigators. Unlike other accused, he neither voluntarily returned the fraudulently obtained compensation nor sought anticipatory bail by depositing the required amount in the treasury.

With Singh’s arrest and the latest recovery of ₹12 crore, the total amount recovered in the scam now stands at ₹100 crore, with ₹86 crore already deposited by other accused beneficiaries. So far, the Vigilance Bureau has arrested seven government officials and 16 private individuals in connection with this multi-crore land acquisition scam, and further investigations are underway.

This high-profile case highlights deep-rooted corruption in compensation claims and serves as a strong warning against fraudulent land acquisition practices in Punjab.