Scam in 1997, FIR in 2025: How THIS mother-son duo sold IAF airstrip - used in three wars against Pakistan?

A new land scam has come to the fore in India's Punjab. Punjab's Ferozepur police booked a duo for illegally selling a historic Indian Air Force (IAF) airstrip - used in 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars. The police allege that a mother-son duo sold the airstrip in connivance with revenue officials. Though the land was sold in 1997 by Usha Ansal and her son Naveen Chand, natives of Dumni Wala village, an FIR on the matter has been filed 28 years later. The matter first came to light after a complaint was filed by a retired revenue officer, Nishan Singh, with the vigilance bureau. However, no action was taken against it for years, even though a preliminary inquiry was conducted. FIR was finally filed recently after court intervention.

This airstrip, situated in Patti Fattuwala village near the Pakistan border, was acquired by the British administration on March 12, 1945 and was used as an Advance Landing Ground (ALG) by the IAF. According to a Times of India report, an investigation by the Vigilance Department, prompted by a reprimand from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, led to an FIR being registered against the duo on June 20, 2025, 28 years after the fraud. As per multiple reports, senior police officer D Manjit Singh said the FIR has been registered at Kulgarhi police station under IPC sections 419 (impersonation), 420 (cheating), 465, 467 (forgery), 471 (use of forged documents), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

How was the defence land sold?

The mother-son duo presented themselves as landowners while the true owner, Madan Mohan Lal, had died in 1991, but the land was sold under his name in 1997. Reports said that several individuals were named as owners between 2009-2010 despite the Ministry of Defence not transferring the land. On April 16, 2021, the commandant of the Halwara Air Force Station lodged a complaint by a retired revenue officer, Nishan Singh. As per India Today, it took the local administration five years to conduct a comprehensive inquiry. Nishan Singh moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court December 21, 2023. Justice Harjit Singh Brar criticised the Deputy Commissioner of Ferozepur’s inaction, labelling it a serious threat to national security, and directed the chief of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau to personally investigate and report within four weeks. According to the Times of India report, the land was finally restored to the Ministry of Defence in May 2025, following intervention by the High Court.