IAS-IPS Land Deal Near Bhopal Bypass Sparks Row A land transaction involving nearly 50 senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers has ignited controversy in Madhya Pradesh after the value of the purchased property reportedly surged following the approval of a major infrastructure project nearby. The dispute centers on a collective investment made by high-ranking bureaucrats, which has drawn accusations of potential conflict of interest and comparisons to real estate insider trading. According to a report first published by Dainik Bhaskar, the officers jointly acquired 2.023 hectares of agricultural land in Guradi Ghat village, located in Bhopal’s Kolar area. The land, approximately five acres in size, was purchased on April 4, 2022, through a single registered transaction valued at around ₹5.5 crore. At the time of the purchase, the official market valuation of the property stood at ₹7.78 crore. The transaction involved officers from the Madhya Pradesh cadre as well as officials associated with Maharashtra, Telangana, Haryana, and central postings in Delhi. In their Immovable Property Returns (IPR), the investment was described as a collective purchase by “like-minded officers.” The controversy escalated after the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approved the ₹3,200 crore Western Bhopal Bypass project in August 2023, approximately 16 months after the land purchase. The proposed road alignment reportedly passes within nearly 500 metres of the property, raising questions about the timing of the transaction. Subsequently, in June 2024, the land use category of the plot was changed from agricultural to residential. This rezoning, coupled with the infrastructure project’s approval, led to a sharp increase in local property prices.#madhya_pradesh #dainik_bhaskar #ias_ips #western_bhopal_bypass #vikas_saraswat
