Mother-Son Duo Sold Off Air Force’s WW2 Airstrip Near Pakistan Border, FIR Filed 28 Years Later
Image courtesy: AI-generated picture via DALL-E
In a shocking case of fraud, Punjab Police have filed an FIR against a mother-son duo for allegedly selling off a strategic Indian Air Force (IAF) airstrip near the Pakistan border, 28 years after the purported fraudulent transaction took place.
The airstrip, located in Fattuwala village in Ferozepur district, was acquired by British authorities on March 12, 1945, and was used as an advanced landing ground during World War II and the wars of 1962, 1965, and 1971. It remained under the IAF’s control for decades— until land ownership records were allegedly manipulated in 1997.
Who are the accused, and what are the charges?
According to the FIR registered on June 20, Usha Ansal and her son Naveen Chand, residents of Dumni Wala village, have been named as the prime accused. They are alleged to have connived with revenue officials to forge documents and fraudulently claim ownership of the airstrip land before selling it off, Times of India reported.
The charges against them include cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and impersonation under Indian Penal Code Sections 419, 420, 465, 467, 471, and 120B. The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) chief director to personally investigate the allegations. Deputy Superintendent of Police Karan Sharma is currently heading the investigation.
What did the probe find, and how did the case come to light?
The Vigilance Bureau’s inquiry confirmed that the land in question belonged to the Indian Air Force and had never been transferred to any civilian entity. Despite this, sale deeds were executed in 1997, six years after the death of the land’s original civilian owner, Madan Mohan Lal, in 1991.
The case gained traction after whistleblower Nishan Singh, a retired revenue official, filed a complaint years ago. However, authorities did not act until 2021, when the commandant of Halwara Air Force Station wrote to the Ferozepur deputy commissioner seeking an investigation. Even then, no substantial action was taken.
Singh eventually approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Justice Harjit Singh Brar, in a scathing order, reprimanded the deputy commissioner for inaction, citing national security risks and ordered the VB to verify the claims within four weeks. The court also highlighted discrepancies in the land records, pointing out that multiple names had appeared in the 2009–10 Jamabandi (land ownership register), despite no transfer from the military.
The Defence Ministry formally regained possession of the land in May 2025.
