Retired Army officer who fought three wars is now fighting to save his 'fraudulently' sold land in Rajasthan

A 92-year-old retired Indian Army officer, Captain Chunnilal, who fought in the 1962 war with China and the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, alleged that his land in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, was fraudulently mortgaged, transferred, and sold without his knowledge.

Former Indian Army Captain Chunnilal told ANI, “After retiring from the Army, I came to Bassi. Before my retirement, I had served in the Kargil War. I fought that war not only for myself but for my country...”

"Our family had fertile agricultural land near Himachal Pradesh... However, the government acquired our land for the Pong Dam project," he said while narrating his ordeal.

Retired Army Captain Chunnilal said the compensation he received was not enough. "We were told that displaced families would be allotted land in Rajasthan...," he said.

He said he was allotted land in Mohangarh.

"When I first arrived there, I found nothing but sand everywhere...Over the years, with great effort, we improved the land...Slowly, the land became productive. However, after so many years of hard work, someone fraudulently sold my land by creating fake documents and using an impersonator...," he said.

Police registered a case and initiated an investigation into the matter. The retired Army officer requested that his case be transferred to Himachal Pradesh so that he can attend hearings more easily and pursue justice.

'No immediate action was taken'

Retired Army officer's son, Multan Singh Thakur, alleged that despite approaching multiple police stations and revenue authorities after learning about the land registration and mutation, no immediate action was taken.

According to Thakur, the family first approached the Mohangarh Police Station before being directed to the PTM Police Station, which in turn referred them to the Kotwali Police Station, where the land registration had allegedly taken place.

"My father has fought three wars for the country, and this is the fourth war he is fighting to protect his land. He is 90 years old," Thakur said.

"When we learned that our land had been registered on June 16, and the mutation was done on June 22, we immediately came here," he said.

He added, "We first went to Mohangarh Police Station, but they sent us to the PTM Police Station, saying it was under their jurisdiction."

"The PTM Police Station then told us to go to Kotwali because the registration had taken place there," he added.

"We met the Tehsildar and the Patwari and informed them that someone had impersonated my father. The fake person claimed to be 75 years old, while my father is 90. We requested the Tehsildar to cancel the mutation, but he said his job was only to register the property and that we should go to court," Thakur said.

He alleged that their FIR was also not being registered. "Only after the SP intervened was an FIR finally lodged at the Kotwali Police Station," he told ANI.

Thakur added that the Superintendent of Police assured the family that due legal action would be taken. He added that his father's health had deteriorated while pursuing the matter and appealed to the Himachal Pradesh government for assistance.

"My father's condition has deteriorated so much that he was falling asleep even while giving fingerprints. He is a heart patient, yet he remains determined to fight this fourth battle. I request the Himachal Pradesh government to help us. We have already spent lakhs of rupees, yet we are still struggling to recover our own land," he said.

Case registered

Additional Superintendent of Police Revatdan confirmed that a case has been registered at the Kotwali Police Station and that the allegations are being investigated.

"An ex-army man came to us and told us that he has a Murba here which some people have impersonated and got registered in the name of someone else... A case has been registered at the police station, Kotwali. After completing the investigation properly, whatever action is required will be taken," he said.

Police said further action will be taken on the basis of the findings of the investigation.