New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Transport and Revenue Minister Govind Singh Rajput is facing the heat over a 50-acre plot of land allegedly gifted to him by his in-laws earlier this year.
The opposition Congress raised the issue in the state assembly Wednesday, during a debate on the no-confidence motion brought by it against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government.
Rajput, who has been an MLA from Surkhi in Sagar district, is one of 22 loyalists of MP Jyotiraditya Scindia who sided with him during his rebellion against the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh in 2020. The party subsequently lost power and BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan returned as chief minister. Rajput was made a cabinet minister along with other Scindia loyalists soon after.
The Congress has alleged that the 50-acre parcel of land was “first purchased by Rajput’s in-laws on his behalf, and later gifted to him to escape stamp duty”. Furthermore, “land use was changed from ‘wasteland’ to ‘farmland’” during registration of the plot to “avoid paying land revenue”.
Under the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code of 1959, “no land revenue shall be payable in respect of any holding up to two hectares used exclusively for the purpose of agriculture”, and “such other land used for non-agricultural purpose as the state government may, by notification, specify”.
Former BJP leader Rajkumar Dhanaura, who was expelled from the party this October, allegedly over his statements against Rajput, told ThePrint: “In September 2021, Rajput’s brother-in-law and mother-in-law purchased 50 acres of land near Sagar, which was then classified as non-irrigable wasteland. Later, the plot was donated to Rajput and his family and classified as irrigable farmland.”
Dhanaura, who was BJP Kisan Morcha’s Sagar district president, called it “a clear case of stamp duty evasion” that “needs to be investigated at the highest level”.
According to Dhanaura, Rajput “himself purchased the land in his brother-in-law’s name and later showed it as a gift to his own family”.
Jitu Patwari, former state minister and Congress leader, while raising the matter in the assembly, asked the chief minister to look into the case.
“Why did Govind Singh Rajput’s in-laws gift no other land except that which was purchased in 2021?” he asked, adding: “If his in-laws have such huge tracts of land, why gift a plot 35 years after (Rajput’s) marriage? There are many aspects in this case of corruption. Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s hands are tied in investigating this case (but) he should probe it.”
After the Congress’s attack, Rajput briefed the media in Bhopal Wednesday, saying: “Donation of land happened in close blood relation under law. It is registered under law, anyone can view it, so what is the problem if my in-laws have donated land to me?”
ThePrint contacted Rajput for comment via calls and messages, but did not receive a response. This article will be updated if a response is received.
ThePrint has accessed the document of land registration in which the market value of the parcel is mentioned as Rs 23,84,000, and stamp duty of Rs 1,54,000 is stated to have been paid on behalf of Rajput.
Dhanaura also alleged that Rajput purchased another 25 acres of land in May this year near his constituency. “It must be investigated how, in one year, Rajput acquired 75 acres of land (including 50 acres from his in-laws). It’s a huge amount and his sources of income must be probed,” he said.
Gaurav Sirothiya, BJP’s Sagar district president, told ThePrint: “Land donation happened but was done according to the law. This is not the issue here. Dhanaura, who has brought up this matter, is planning to contest elections against Rajput. That is why he is making these charges.”
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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