Patna: Police in the capital city, Patna are facing serious allegations after a local family accused cops of colluding with the son of a former deputy mayor to illegally seize ancestral land.
Muntun Sao and members of his extended family have accused Pawan Kumar, son of ex-deputy mayor Meenu Kumari, of forcibly occupying 52 kattha (approximately 1.7 acres) of land near Mahavir Ghat in Didarganj, with the alleged support of local police. Speaking to the media, Muntun Sao claimed that Kumar arrived with a group of men and attempted to assert ownership of the land without presenting any legal documentation. When the family and other co-owners protested, they were allegedly assaulted and threatened with death.
More troubling, according to Muntun Sao, was the role played by local police. He alleges that officers from Didarganj police station detained him and his son for over 30 hours without charge, during which time the land was occupied under the cover of night. The victim further claimed they were coerced into signing a bond under threat of being falsely implicated in a rape case. The accusations have prompted Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to order a formal investigation. Rural Superintendent of Police Vikram Sihag has been tasked with submitting a report within 15 days.
Sao’s family has also submitted formal complaints to the District Magistrate, the SSP, and the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Fatuha. In response to the growing scrutiny, police station in-charge Ranveer Kumar has denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as “baseless” and stating that “the police never participates in land seizures”. He added that further proceedings were underway.
With documented ownership papers in hand, the family insists their claim is legitimate, while Kumar has reportedly not produced any counter-evidence to support his own.
Rural SP Vikram Sihag has stated that action will be taken pending the outcome of the investigation.
