Patwari Faces Show Cause Notice Over Issuance of Fake Farmer Certificate
Palampur: In a concerning case of land fraud in Himachal Pradesh, a non-Himachali named Danish has acquired land using a fake farmer certificate. The certificate, which falsely listed him as the son of a local Himachali, was issued by the Patwari without proper verification. Authorities have cancelled the certificate, halting the mutation process, and issuing a show cause notice to the Patwari involved.
Under Section 118 of the Land Reform and Tenancy Act, non-Himachalis are required to seek government permission before purchasing land in the state. However, Danish bypassed this legal requirement by fraudulently obtaining a farmer certificate, posing as the son of Anwar, a local resident of Himachal Pradesh. The sale deed for the land was registered on April 16, 2024, by Naib Tehsildar Bhavarna. Anwar, whose name was misused, filed a complaint after discovering that his Krishak Pramaan certificate had been used without his knowledge. Anwar has stated that he has two daughters and no son, exposing the fraud behind the certificate.
Following the complaint, SDM Palampur, Netra Maiti, initiated an investigation to determine how Danish was able to obtain the fraudulent certificate. “The farmer certificate has been cancelled, and the mutation process has been stopped. A show cause notice is being issued to the Patwari responsible for issuing the fake certificate,” Maiti said. The SDM further noted that if the investigation uncovers negligence or deliberate fraud, complaints will be lodged with the police against both Danish and Patwari.
The case has raised serious questions about the integrity of the Revenue Department, as it highlights lapses in verifying key documents before land transactions. This incident has also brought attention to the potential for misuse of Section 118, which is meant to protect Himachal’s land resources from being acquired by non-residents without appropriate checks.
Further investigation is underway to determine on what basis the farmer certificate was issued. If fraud is confirmed, the matter will be referred to the Deputy Commissioner for further action under the Land Reform and Tenancy Act. Legal proceedings against the involved parties are expected once the investigation concludes.
This case has exposed vulnerabilities in land registration procedures and has prompted authorities to consider stricter enforcement of verification protocols to prevent future incidents. The outcome of this investigation could lead to significant reforms in how land purchases by non-residents are monitored and approved in the state.
