Shimla, Jan 20,
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion The Great Khali alias Daleep Singh Rana on Tuesday levelled serious allegations against officials of the Revenue Department in Paonta Sahib, accusing them of facilitating large-scale land fraud and claiming that “the entire Paonta Sahib has been sold off through corrupt practices.”
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Khali alleged that corrupt officials, including senior revenue functionaries, were operating with impunity and believed themselves to be above the Constitution.
He claimed that he himself is a victim of the alleged scam and that hundreds of other residents have suffered similar losses due to murky land deals carried out with the active connivance of revenue officials.
Khali stated that his father had purchased around 16 bighas of land in Surajpur village of Paonta Sahib in 2013. However, years later, the Revenue Department is now claiming that the land belongs to another person.
He further alleged that nearly 12 bighas of his land has been wrongly declared as ravines in official records. Calling the development shocking, Khali said it clearly reflects serious irregularities and manipulation of land records.
He alleged that major fraud has also been committed against more than 100 people in the villages of Surajpur and Bhatanwali.
According to him, ancestral land holdings of residents were transferred on paper, Khasra numbers were manipulated, and land was illegally sold to others. Khali alleged that the Tehsildar and other senior revenue officials were involved in the entire scam.
Residents Paramjit Kaur and Jasvir Kaur of Surajpur also levelled serious allegations of tampering with their land documents. They said they would meet Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and demand a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter.
The affected villagers demanded that the state government and district administration scrap the committee already constituted to probe the issue and instead form a new team of honest officers to expose the entire land scam.
DM Recommends Independent Revenue Team for Demarcation Amid Khali’s Allegations
Amid continuing allegations by professional wrestler, the district administration in Sirmaur has moved to ensure impartiality in the ongoing inquiry. The matter has gained momentum following repeated public statements by Khali, including a press conference held in Shimla on Tuesday.
Earlier, on January 16, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Paonta Sahib, Gunjeet Singh Cheema, wrote to the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, recommending that the demarcation of the disputed land be conducted by an independent revenue team from outside Paonta Sahib. The recommendation was made to dispel any apprehensions regarding fairness and to maintain transparency in the administrative process.
According to official sources, the SDM, in his communication to the Deputy Commissioner, stated that after examining the relevant revenue records and factual aspects of the case, a fresh and accurate demarcation of the land had become necessary. The objective, the letter noted, is to correctly assess the actual physical possession of the land and to prepare an error-free fard qabza (possession record).
The administration has clarified that the Paonta Sahib Tehsildar has already submitted his explanation in the matter. In his report, the Tehsildar has maintained that all actions taken by him were strictly in accordance with established rules and procedures, and that the process was conducted in a fair and unbiased manner.
Despite this, the issue has remained in the public domain due to Khali’s repeated allegations, prompting the administration to take additional steps to reinforce the credibility of the inquiry. Officials said that assigning the demarcation to an independent revenue team would help establish factual clarity and uphold public confidence in the administrative system.
The district administration has reiterated its commitment to a transparent and impartial resolution of the dispute, stressing that due process would be followed at every stage.
About the Author
The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
