Raipur Industrialist Accused of Grabbing 127 Acres of Tribal Land in Abujhmad

Digital Desk

A major land dispute has erupted in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, where tribals have accused Raipur-based industrialist Mahendra Goenka of illegally seizing 127 acres of ancestral land in the Abujhmad region. The issue has taken a political turn, prompting the Congress to form a nine-member investigation committee, while local tribal communities have demanded an FIR and the return of their land.

The Congress delegation visited affected villages — Bail, Dharma, Markapal, and Badepalli — on November 5 to meet tribal families. However, citing security concerns, police prevented the team from crossing the Indravati River. Undeterred, villagers themselves crossed the river to meet the committee at Uspuri Ghat in Itampar Panchayat, where they shared their grievances.

Villagers alleged that their ancestral lands were illegally transferred to Mahendra Goenka and his wife Meenu Goenka without their consent or approval from the Gram Sabha. They said the move not only violated tribal rights but also breached legal procedures.

Congress Team Submits Memorandum, Seeks FIR

The investigation panel submitted a memorandum to the Bhairamgarh SDM, demanding legal action against the accused and the restoration of the tribal land. A written request for an FIR was also filed at the Bhairamgarh police station.

Committee convener and Keshkal MLA Santram Netam said, “We wanted to verify the truth on the ground, but police stopped us. On one hand, the government claims Bastar is free from Naxal influence, yet we are barred from meeting the victims. This clearly suggests industrialists are being protected.”

MLA Mandavi Slams State Government

Bijapur MLA Vikram Mandavi directly accused the state government of shielding the accused, questioning, “If Bastar is truly Naxal-free, how did an industrialist manage to cross the Indravati River and occupy 127 acres of land? Was any government or Gram Sabha approval obtained?” Mandavi called the incident an “illegal transaction carried out under political protection” and demanded a high-level inquiry.

Probe Ordered Under PCC Chief Deepak Baij

Acting on instructions from Chhattisgarh PCC Chief Deepak Baij, the probe panel includes MLAs and senior leaders such as Santram Netam, Vikram Mandavi, Rajman Benjam, Chhavindra Karma, Harish Kawasi, Neena Rawatia Udde, Shankar Kudiyam, Lalu Rathore, and Lachhuram Maurya.

The committee has written to the district collector, urging an administrative probe and land record verification. Preliminary reports are being compiled, after which further action will be decided.