NAMES OF MEDIATORS AND BENEFICIARIES REVEALED

NAMES OF MEDIATORS AND BENEFICIARIES REVEALED

11-OCT-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA---------------------------As the investigation into the 15.48 acres of *Math* land in Mauza Painapur (Naubatpur *Anchal*) progresses, a series of influential figures and fraudsters (*Natwarlals*) are coming to light. Regarding this prime *Math* land—valued at approximately ₹150–200 crore—those involved still claim they can "manage" the situation; a search is underway for individuals with high-level connections within the government. Following the publication of the report in *Tarun Mitra*, the head of a constitutional body met with Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to apprise him of the fraud surrounding the *Math* land. Meanwhile, STF DG Kundan Krishnan has written to the Patna Commissioner, the District Magistrate, and the Secretary of the Revenue Department, directing them to conduct an investigation. The issue of the *Math* land grab and illegal encroachment under the BJP regime has now reached Delhi. The central government is already grappling with controversies regarding the alleged theft of Ram Mandir donations. No religious institution would ever want its name dragged into a controversy regarding the Naubatpur Math land—especially one that could turn Bihar into a talking point during the UP elections. To address this, the Bihar government is preparing to conduct a three-tier investigation rather than relying on a single agency. A confidential probe has already been initiated into the allegations against those involved in the fraud concerning the Naubatpur Math land. Before the construction of the Bihta-Sarmera main road, the red flag of the (banned) CPI(ML)—often referred to as 'Male'—had been planted on the land in question Everyone in the area was aware that the 'Male' faction had illegally occupied the monastery's land. Since the construction of the Bihta-Sarmera main road, land mafias have employed every possible tactic to usurp this land.

A web of forgery—spanning from the Patna Registration Office to the Naubatpur Circle Office—was spun to grab the monastery's land located in Mauza Painapur, Naubatpur. In one instance, the then Circle Officer (CO) Virendra Kumar fraudulently recorded 0.2 decimals of land from *Jamabandi* 35/1 in another person's name and, by merging multiple *Khatas* (land holding accounts), recorded a total area of ​​3 acres and 2 decimals. Meanwhile, another CO, Mrityunjay Kumar, reduced the monastery's recorded holding of 15 acres and 48.84 decimals (under *Jamabandi* 85) to just 5 acres and 43 decimals, and added the name of Vijendra Das (alias Vijendra Rai) without initiating any mutation proceedings. Furthermore, CO Mrityunjay Kumar created an entry of 10 acres and 43 decimals in the name of Ram Murti Singh under *Jamabandi* 17 and *Khata* 109, based on a forged deed. Most astonishingly, *Khata* 109 does not even contain *Khesra* (plot) number 840 in the official survey records (*Khatiyan*); yet, CO Mrityunjay Kumar created an entry for *Khesra* 840 (with an area of ​​50 decimals) under *Jamabandi* 17. In reality, according to the survey records, *Khesra* 840 belongs to *Khata* 111. This clearly demonstrates that rules were disregarded in favor of bribes; such blind, arbitrary actions prove a situation where official records mattered less than the dictates of the land mafia. Regarding Naubatpur Police Station Case No. 483/26 and the Bihar Police Headquarters (Operations) Memo No. 486 dated 21/09/2026, the fraud case implicates several individuals: Ashwini Kumar, Tuntun Gop, Bauja Ji (alias Praveen Kumar), Neeraj Kumar (of Nehru Nagar—who played a key role in forging documents), Atul Kumar, Ravindra Mahto (of Pipra), Ram Kishore Sharma, and Akshayvat Sharma. Also implicated are the then-Revenue Employee of the Naubatpur Circle Office, the then-Registrar of the Patna Registration Office, a record room employee, and several prominent figures operating from behind the scenes.

Four claimants emerged seeking to take possession of the 15 acres and 48 decimals of land belonging to Painapur Math. Tuntun Gop was the first to stake a claim and attempted to seize the land with a group of supporters, but was stopped by Anandi Paswan of the CPI(ML). After a settlement was reached and the construction of a boundary wall around the Math's land began, Praveen Kumar (alias Baua Ji) put forward his claim. Just as this matter was nearing resolution, Kundan Kumar entered the fray. All four parties began asserting their respective claims and insisting on the validity of their own documents; consequently, no one was willing to acquire the disputed land. Rohit Kumar from Motihari took the initiative to unite the four claimants. Enticed by the prospect of multi-crore profits, all four claimants accepted Rohit Kumar's settlement plan. Mediator Rohit Kumar allocated shares to each party, and a decision was made to transfer the land to Gautam Kumar of GRDA Infra Project Limited; an agreement was subsequently drawn up. A prominent individual named Ashutosh Kumar played a pivotal role in this entire affair. According to a memorandum from the Bihar Police Headquarters' operations wing, the names of Tuntun Gop, Praveen Kumar (alias Baua Ji), Anandi Paswan, and Kundan Kumar figure in the sale of *Math* (monastery) land. They all sold the land to Gautam Kumar, the owner of GRDA Infra Private Limited. Land belonging to the *Math* (specifically under *Khata* number 109) was sold to more than two dozen people. The then-Circle Officer (CO), Mrityunjay Kumar, even fraudulently processed the *Jamabandi* (land record mutation) for about 12 individuals. Those who registered the land—both the sellers and the facilitators—are direct beneficiaries.