Being falsely implicated, say farmers named in SIT report on Rs 118-crore compensation fraud in last 15 years in UP

The SIT, constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government, examined 1,198 land acquisition records from April 1, 2009, till 2023 and found that compensation had been paid at increased rates in 20 cases by the Noida Authority despite “no legal obligation” to do so.

In cases of such “irregular payments”, the SIT found that an agreement was reached with farmers that their pending appeals seeking higher compensation in court would be withdrawn, but legal examination did not assess whether they were pending.

Of these 20 cases, 12 are from Gaijha Tilaptabad village, seven from Bhuda village, and one case from Nagla Charandas village related to land acquisitions in the 1980s. There was no court order to pay compensation at the increased rate in favour of farmers in these cases, the report stated.

The Noida Authority filed an FIR in 12 cases while recovery certificates were issued for over Rs 86 crore from ineligible beneficiaries in 10 cases.

‘Wanted a fair rate’

In 1982, Omdev said around 650 bighas in his village, Gaijha Tilaptabad, were acquired by the Noida Authority from around 150 farmers (amounting to 28 land acquisition cases).

His father Daleep Singh, ex-pradhan of the village, also gave 91 bighas of land. “But the administration had announced compensation of Rs 10.12 per square yard. We were dissatisfied and challenged it in the Ghaziabad court. In 1993, the court increased compensation to Rs 16.61 per square yard. We did not agree and filed an appeal in the Allahabad High Court. In its decision in 2010, the High Court increased the compensation to Rs 28.12 per square yard. Before this judgment, my father, who was the original landowner, died in 2009,” said Omdev.

He further said his family was unhappy with this order too and filed a review petition.

“Meanwhile, in 2014-15, the High Court, in similar cases, ordered to pay the compensation at the rate of Rs 297 per square yard. Every farmer wants to be compensated at an equal rate; so we demanded the same rate,” said Singh.

In 2015, the family received compensation of Rs 19.40 crore — which was divided among Daleep’s four sons, including Omdev. He said it was the authority that approached farmers for a settlement.

“In July 2020, during the Covid pandemic, they sent recovery notices with the interest rate. If we return as much money to the authorities as they have asked for, it would mean they want our land from us for free,” he said, adding, “It is clear

that in my case, the matter was continuing in the High Court at the time as we had filed the case in 1994.”

Omdev added that farmers are being harassed for asking the right price for their land.

“We already spent the money, bought farms… How will we return it now?… My recovery notice was stayed by the High Court,” he said.

‘Stain of fraud’

Another farmer from the same village, Raamvati, was also named in the report and FIR. The Authority had acquired 40 bighas from his father, Phundan, in 1982. Raamvati’s grandson Amit Nagar, who is now pursuing the case in court, said farmers are being targeted to settle the score between officials.

“I believe the then CEO had the foresight to take the initiative to provide equal compensation to all… But after so many years, we are now being told it was given against the rules… They are saying crores of rupees were given to farmers, but did anyone see how this money was divided among how many families, after which each person gets a share of only a few lakhs? Farmers gave their land and are now facing the stain of fraud,” according to Nagar, an MBA graduate and a resident of Milak Lachhi in Dadri.

“It is a complete lie that we hid the information that no case was pending in the High Court and we agreed on a settlement based on fabricated information. We had given details in our letter to (the Noida Authority) to withdraw the case. It was the Authority’s responsibility to check. In my case, we moved the High Court 22 years later and it was rejected as defective due to the delay. However, we had filed the petition to revive the case. Isn’t our case pending then?” he claimed.

“Ye Shivir laga kar paisa bant rahe the, kisano se khud settlement kra rahe the (They were distributing money by setting up camps and reaching settlements with the farmers)… If this is really a scam, how can it happen without the consent of top officials?” asked Nagar.