Madhya Pradesh Revenue Official Suspended After Dozens of Public Spaces Recorded in His Name

More than 50 public properties in a Madhya Pradesh village, including a shared courtyard, a stepwell, and a bus stand platform, were found registered under the name of a local revenue official and his wife. Rajesh Mandloi, who previously worked as a patwari in Kolgaon, was suspended following a revenue inquiry.

Investigation Details

During checks of records prepared under the government's Swamitva land-rights scheme, officials discovered 51 properties linked to the couple. Forty-eight properties were recorded in Mandloi's name, while three were registered under his wife Manisha's name. Khandwa Collector Rishabh Gupta stated that a departmental inquiry has been started after the complaint proved to be correct. District officials noted that the suspension order was issued under Rule 9 of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services Rules.

Local Impact

The discovery has raised questions about how the disputed entries passed through various approval stages at the village level. Among the properties under scrutiny is a plot where the Balahi community had started building a ceremonial hall before work stopped, as well as a residential property belonging to a villager named Baliram. Officials stated that discrepancies had been noticed during earlier record preparations in 2023 and 2024, but the issue resurfaced only after the Swamitva list was released to the public.