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NDTV
2 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Exclusive: Blank Papers, Multiple Credits - Manipur's Multi-Crore Highway Compensation Mystery
People affected by three ongoing highway widening projects in Manipur's Kangpokpi district have alleged an insurgent group forced them to sign on blank papers to take a cut from their compensation money. Many have complained of receiving less than 50 per cent of what they were supposed to get. They have filed a complaint with the deputy commissioner (DC), Mahesh Chaudhari, for a correction as the DC is the competent authority to whom the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) released Rs 320.52 crore in three tranches as compensation under Section 3G of the National Highways Act, 1956. This provision deals with determining the amount payable as compensation for rehabilitation and resettlement following land acquisition in highway projects. Mr Chaudhari told NDTV he has received the complaint, and declined to give further details. "We are working on it as per the rules," he said. Under the provisions of the National Highways Act, Mr Chaudhari is the 'competent authority (land acquisition)', or CALA, for disbursing the compensation amount sent by the NHIDCL. Hundreds of pages of documents including bank statements, court papers and written complaints accessed by NDTV and analysed for over a month indicate the beneficiaries' allegations may merit an investigation into possible diversion of government money towards terror funding by insurgent groups. Multiple credits into the accounts of just eight people in Kangpokpi - allegedly the middlemen of the insurgent group - from the compensation fund amount to Rs 18 crore. This number may rise later as more names come out. To put this into perspective, that is enough to buy several guns and other lethal weapons from the black market, according to land conflict analysts. Central Funds For Beneficiaries The three projects to widen the highway from two to four lanes are on the Imphal-Kohima section of National Highway (NH) 2. This highway goes all the way from Dibrugarh in Assam to Tuipang in Mizoram, via Mokokchung, Wokha and Kohima in Nagaland, and Imphal and Churachandpur in Manipur. The NHIDCL named the projects Package 4A, 4B, and 5A with a combined length of 35.53 km, according to the tender details available with the government company under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. To compensate villagers who would lose their lands or structures or both, the NHIDCL sent Rs 320.52 crore to the CALA's three separate accounts with Indian Bank in three tranches. Documents accessed by NDTV show that for Package 4A, which is the 12.44-km stretch from Taphou Kuki to Daili, the NHIDCL sent Rs 140.42 crore to the CALA's account. In another tranche for Package 4B, which is the 12.39-km section from Daili to Kuraopokpi, the NHIDCL credited Rs 102.90 crore to the CALA's account. And for Package 5A, which is the 10.70-km section of Kuraopokpi to Sekmai, the NHIDCL sent Rs 77.20 crore to the CALA's account. The utilisation certificates for all the three packages (4A, 4B, and 5A) signed by Mr Chaudhari show that the CALA paid the compensation amount to the beneficiaries between March 3, 2023 and April 30, 2024. A utilisation certificate is a government document that confirms money has been used for the purpose for which it was sanctioned. Forced To Sign On Blank Papers: Villagers At least 20 villagers whom NDTV spoke with alleged they received a much less compensation amount after the insurgent group Kuki National Front (KNF) forced them to sign on blank papers, and in some cases pre-filled forms. All of them requested anonymity as their lives could be in threat. KNF finance secretary Jangboi Kipgen instructed village chiefs to bring everyone eligible for compensation to the office of the local council, the villagers alleged. The chiefs did as told by the KNF, they said. There, in a room guarded by armed KNF men, Jangboi Kipgen's associates told the villagers to sign on blank papers if they wanted to get compensation from the road-widening project, the beneficiaries told NDTV. They were not allowed to bring their mobile phones to the room. The KNF informed them it would take a 5 per cent cut from every individual's compensation amount, they alleged. "Understanding the realities, I thought it was fine. Losing 5 per cent is better than not getting any or worse... I was to get Rs 17 lakh, but got only Rs 3.8 lakh. The authorities did not give proper answers when we complained to the DC that we have not got the right amount," one of the beneficiaries told NDTV, explaining the final amount that had been trimmed was a lot more than 5 per cent. He showed his account statement and the credit entry of Rs 3.8 lakh, which appeared with the description "bulk posting - by salary". His name also does not appear in the statements of all the three official CALA bank accounts that disbursed the compensation amount. So, who sent him the much lower amount from what appeared to be outside the formal system linked to the CALA accounts, he said he doesn't know. "We haven't got the amount that we should get as per the highway law. They have taken advantage of the ignorance of villagers... KNF men stood outside the council office while inside there was one KNF man, who told us to sign the blank paper. They did not tell us anything else, only that the money would come," the beneficiary said. Seventy-eight beneficiaries signed a complaint letter and gave it to the Kangpokpi DC on January 25, 2025, informing him that they would not allow any work on the highway to be carried out unless the "actual amount" of compensation is deposited into their bank accounts. "We will really appreciate it if this could be between the actual owners [of land, structure or both] and the government. The amount paid to us is not acceptable compared to other places," they said in the letter which pointed at the involvement of middlemen. NDTV has a copy of the letter with names and numbers of the beneficiaries. A retired person who got compensation for both land and structure said he was supposed to get Rs 1 crore, but received only Rs 69 lakh. "They made me sign a pre-filled form at the council office. The KNF man did not let me read it," the retired person said. Another beneficiary told NDTV he was made to sign two blank papers. "They did not let me see the papers and also did not tell how much I will get. They said 'you will get the money' and asked me to leave. I got Rs 48 lakh, but Naga villagers with the same land and structures as mine got over Rs 80 lakh," he said, indicating the KNF did not touch the Naga villagers who were eligible for receiving compensation. Some beneficiaries who are among the complainants to the DC said not only Naga villagers, but Meiteis also got the full compensation amount. Multiple Credits An analysis of the yearly statements of the three CALA bank accounts show that at least eight people received multiple credits in Package 4B and 5A, the total amounting to Rs 18 crore. This figure may rise later. They are suspected to be middlemen set up by the KNF finance secretary Jangboi Kipgen, the same person who told village chiefs to bring beneficiaries for signing on the blank papers. Two others who received compensation running into several lakh of rupees, as seen in the CALA bank account statements, got the money despite owning no land or structure in the areas affected by the project, the beneficiaries who filed a complaint to the DC told NDTV. The eight suspected middlemen are Uttam Thapa, Lunginmang Kipgen, Satminlal Kipgen, Milan Pradha, Kaplenlal, Lalkhogin, Phuthou, and Jangkhohao. In Package 4B, Uttam Thapa has 32 credit transactions totalling Rs 1.34 crore. Some of the credits run into 13 transactions on a single day in March 2024 amounting to Rs 58 lakh. Lunginmang Kipgen has 67 credit entries in Package 4B totalling Rs 33.50 lakh. Satminlal Kipgen has 56 credit transactions in Package 4B totalling Rs 3.26 crore. There are multiple credit entries of up to six transactions on a single day in March 2024, totalling Rs 42 lakh a day. Milan Pradha has 83 credit transactions in Package 4B totalling Rs 85.12 lakh. In Package 5A, Uttam Thapa has 228 credit transactions totalling Rs 6.04 crore. Lunginmang Kipgen has 363 credit entries totalling Rs 3.11 crore in Package 5A. Both Satminlal Kipgen and Milan Pradha have one credit entry each in Package 5A of Rs 5.16 lakh and Rs 5.43 lakh, respectively. In Package 4B, Kaplenlal has 19 credit transactions totalling Rs 88.31 lakh, Lalkhogin 82 credit transactions, Phuthou 158 credit transactions, and Jangkhohao 299 credit transactions. The total of all these transactions so far excluding three of the eight people is Rs 18 crore. This number will increase once data for the three individuals - Lalkhogin, Phuthou, and Jangkhohao - are confirmed and reverified. Most importantly, there could be other suspicious entries that only a proper forensic audit may be able to detect, a top banking source said. The two others who received money, but allegedly do not own any land or structure in the affected area are Thangtinlen, and Lunthang Haokip, beneficiaries who raised a complaint to the DC have alleged. The two had protested against a survey team that came to Kangpokpi in 2021. They told the survey team they would not allow any work to start unless the issue of land ownership was sorted out first. Thangtinlen has three credit transactions in March 2024 to his name in Package 4B totalling Rs 4 lakh. Lunthang Haokip received Rs 56.81 lakh in a single transaction in the same month. Both projects are going on smoothly now, so is Package 4A (Taphou Kuki to Daili). While Package 4B (Daili to Kuraopokpi) is scheduled to be completed by June 2026, Package 5A (Kuraopokpi to Sekmai) is scheduled to be completed by August 2026; the likely date of completion of Package 4A is December 2025, according to the NHIDCL. Inside KNF While queries to the KNF went unanswered, a source who is very close to the KNF leadership told NDTV that Jangboi Kipgen acted independently. "The cadres are not happy. The villagers are not happy. This is not what the KNF wants," the source said, requesting anonymity. The KNF comes under the United People's Front (UPF), which represents eight armed groups [including KNF] for talks with the Centre for a Union Territory with an assembly for the Kuki tribes. The UPF and another umbrella body of insurgent groups called the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) have signed the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the state government. Broadly, under the SoO agreement, the armed groups have to follow ground rules like staying in designated camps, not recruiting fresh insurgents, and keeping weapons in locked storage, jointly monitored. The KNO represents 17 insurgent groups. The UPF and the KNO leadership are the ones who visit Delhi from time to time for talks with the Centre - amid pressure from Meitei civil society groups to scrap the SoO agreement - to present their views on why they need separation from Manipur. It is in this context that when the UPF leadership is trying hard to keep its house clean, personnel morale high, and the public happy, the KNF finance secretary Jangboi Kipgen's actions on the ground go in an opposite direction from what the UPF leadership has been presenting to the Centre, the source told NDTV, adding there is speculation the National Investigation Agency (NIA) may come knocking at Jangboi Kipgen's door. "Taking large portions from the compensation money of villagers who lost houses and land is not something the UPF, being the parent body, would approve," the source said. KNF In Detail The KNF was founded in 1987. In 1994, it split into two factions i.e. KNF-MC led by SK Kipgen, and the original became KNF-P led by ST Thangboi Kipgen. The 'P' in KNF-P means "president"; it is used to indicate KNF-P is the original KNF, hence the letter "president", the supreme. So, KNF is essentially the KNF-P; the rest are its factions. Like all other insurgent groups operating in Manipur, extortion has been the main source of income for the KNF despite the SoO agreement, sources said. Extortion is usually carried out on the highways - its personnel force vehicles carrying goods to pay for entry into areas under their control. KNF's factions have a presence in Bangladesh, where they have tied up with a group called Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya to train the jihadist group's members, sources said. However, this seems unlikely because KNF's influence does not even reach Churachandpur in southern Manipur, which is 110 km away from KNF's home turf Kangpokpi, let alone Bangladesh. The Bangladesh-based groups like Kuki-Chin National Front, which also calls itself KNF, is not related in ethnic or linguistic lines with Manipur's KNF. The KNF factions used to be involved in a high number of kidnappings till the late 2010s, sources said. After the Manipur violence began in May 2023, and the subsequent crackdowns by the Indian Army on drug trafficking and arms smuggling, many routes have shut down, sources said. While new routes through Mizoram have opened up, KNF's 'income' from drug smuggling has reduced, they said. The KNF-P is currently the largest of the factions; it has approximately 100-odd insurgents. Utilisation Certificates The utilisation certificate for Package 4A mentioned the CALA received from the NHIDCL as compensation for rehabilitation and resettlement Rs 1,000 on October 23, 2020; Rs 20 lakh on October 29, 2020, and Rs 20 crore on December 28, 2020. However, no entries appear in the statement of the same account mentioned in the utilisation certificate from January 1 to December 31, 2020. The document also mentioned the CALA received Rs 12.82 crore on July 13, 2021; Rs 88.62 crore on July 27, 2021; Rs 36.93 lakh on July 30, 2021, and Rs 1.43 crore on August 2, 2021. However, there is no transaction in the statement from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 of the same account mentioned in the utilisation certificate. These could be administrative procedures that imply the dates are for issuing letters by the NHIDCL and not actual credits into the account. "If You Treat Us Like Animals": Complex Land Laws, Disputes Complicate Matters Following a government notification on December 29, 2022 seeking objections to land acquisition for the highway project in Kangpokpi, the Motbung Village Authority which represents the Kuki tribes launched a united campaign to highlight how revenue officers marked out lands for acquisition without clearly identifying the areas, which could lead to denial of full and fair compensation to the villagers. Large tracts of land in Motbung village were included in Kanglatongbi and Kuraopokpi without any proper verification, demarcation and identification, the Motbung Village Authority said in a representation to the then Kangpokpi DC. "That almost all the lands except for a meagre portion have been indicated as government land (dry), thereby causing great injustice to me and my villagers," the Motbung village chief Kaikhosei Lhouvum said in the letter to the DC. Manipur still follows the hereditary chieftainship system of village administration, despite a state law passed in 1967 to abolish this traditional system, but never put into operation. Neighbouring Mizoram, a state of tribes, ended hereditary chieftainship way back in 1954. In the letter, the Motbung village chief said he was not against land acquisition by the government, but against erroneous demarcation of land which would have a direct effect on compensation. "If your authority is bent upon denying our rights and continues to treat us like animals, we will have no option but to approach the court of competent jurisdiction for justice. I am also to remind you that even animals are conferred with certain rights," Mr Lhouvum wrote. He eventually approached the Manipur High Court. A bench of Justice A Guneshwar Sharma disposed of the case on February 17 this year after ordering Mr Lhouvum to go to the arbitrator appointed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and give a fresh representation. The National Highways Act, 1956 allows land owners not satisfied with the amount of compensation they received to take their grievances to an arbitrator appointed by the central government. In this case, the Centre appointed the Manipur government secretary (fishery) on October 10, 2024. Mr Lhouvum would have to start all over again with his representation to the arbitrator. Land ownership in Manipur, which is critical for claiming compensation, is umbilically tied to the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (MLR and LR) Act, 1960. This law defines what is a 'hill area' and it is not applicable to those areas. The Kuki tribes have, however, alleged successive state governments have been adding hill areas under this law one step at a time. This has led to tension on two counts - first, the authorities may not listen to the grievances of genuine land owners in hill areas that may have come under the MLR and LR Act, and second, encroachers in genuine areas under the MLR and LR Act can simply make a false claim that it is a hill area and demand immunity. An analysis of the land ownership pattern and who got how much compensation in '31 Kanglatongbi village' under Package 5A showed that the names of land owners are based on what was recorded in 1960, when the MLR and LR Act was passed. NDTV checked 431 entries in the document. In this village, while the ownership of some lands was mentioned as private, the type of land is now mentioned as "government". Some lands whose owner was earlier mentioned as "government" are now mentioned as "private". And some lands whose owners were mentioned as "private" still remained "private" - they are few, and are the only people who received 100 per cent solatium and compensation for both the value of land and the structures on it. The rest got compensation only for the value of the structure - implying they could be encroachers as they did not own the land, or they could be people living on land belonging to village chiefs. The beneficiary who said he received Rs 3.8 lakh - the inexplicable entry "bulk posting by salary" - instead of at least five times the amount he said he deserved to get, told NDTV that all objections to land acquisition fell silent over time after the KNF got involved. "Everything is messed up. It is a massive tangle of words that sound nice on paper, but none of them make any sense. Go to the best lawyer, the best expert, they also cannot make sense of the lands and the laws and the claims. Why do you think we are suffering?" he said.
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
HC upholds landowners' right to enhanced compensation, trashes NHAI's plea
In a major relief to landowners, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) Tuesday dismissed two petitions filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which had challenged the payment of enhanced compensation, including an increased easement amount, for land acquired in Amritsar for a national highway project. Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya ruled that once the landowners' easement rights had been acknowledged and compensation awarded, NHAI could not reopen the issue or deny enhanced benefits based on revised land rates. An easement refers to the right to use a portion of someone's land for a specific purpose, such as access or utilities, even though one does not own it. The court upheld earlier orders passed by the Executing Court in Amritsar and directed it to proceed with the landowners' execution applications without delay. The case concerns land acquired in village Verka for the construction of National Highway-15, with acquisition notifications issued in 2008 and 2009 under the National Highways Act, 1956. The competent authority had initially fixed compensation at Rs 9,292 per square yard in 2010, along with a 10% easement amount for affected landowners. After a long legal battle that included arbitration, objections under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, and a High Court appeal, compensation was finally enhanced to Rs 26,000 per square yard in 2017. However, the NHAI later objected to the recalculated easement amount, prompting further litigation. Rejecting NHAI's challenge, Justice Dahiya quoted Section 3G(2) of the 1956 Act. 'The land owner whose right to easement has been affected by the acquisition of land shall be paid easement amount calculated at ten per cent of the amount of compensation… No doubt taking away of easement right has to be proved, but that has already been done by the landowners… which has been accepted by the petitioner/NHAI. There is no challenge to it to date.' He further dismissed NHAI's argument that the HC's 2017 order enhanced only the base compensation and not the easement amount. 'This is a misconceived argument… Violation of easement rights has already been established, and need not be proved again for enhanced compensation.' NHAI also attempted to invoke the doctrine of merger, arguing that the original award merged with the High Court's 2017 ruling and could no longer be enforced. The judge rejected this, stating: 'The argument is fallacious… The award granting easement amount was never set aside… It has instead been accepted and implemented by NHAI and they cannot now take a contradictory stand.' The court also cited a SC ruling in Tarsem Singh to clarify that compensation for easement rights is separate and payable if the infringement has been proven. Landowners' counsel, advocate Vijay Kumar Jindal, argued that since NHAI had never challenged the 2010 award granting the easement amount, it had attained finality. Agreeing with this, the court noted that NHAI's failure to raise timely objections meant they were now barred from doing so.
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Make appropriate changes in MV Act to avoid mismatch of vehicles during toll collection: Karnataka HC advises MoRTH
The High Court of Karnataka has advised the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to review the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and make appropriate changes to address the issue of mismatch of vehicle type that crops up during collection of toll due to variance in vehicular classifications, particularly buses, under the MV Act, and the rules framed under the National Highways Act, 1956. Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order while dismissing a petition filed by Karavali Bus Owners' Association, Udupi, and several individual owners of private buses. The petitioners had questioned deduction of extra toll amount later in addition to the amount deducted from FASTag account instantly when their buses pass through two plazas between Mangaluru and Kundapur due to mismatch in vehicle type. The Court noted that the variance in classification of vehicles in the MV Act and the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 framed under the NH Act is the cause for this litigation and hence the MV Act requires statutory refinement. Background of case The petitioners had registered information of their vehicles in FASTag system as 'minibus' even though the registration certificate of the vehicles issued by the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) classified their vehicles as 'bus' with seating capacity of 38. The argument of the petitioner was that the provision of the MV Act states that vehicles with unladen weight of less than 12,000 kgs are classified as Light Motor Commercial Vehicles (LMCVs), which include 'minibus'. However, toll collecting authorities were collecting extra amount, which applicable for 'bus/truck' later as FASTag was deducting lower toll applicable to LMCVs at toll plazas. The toll collecting had relied on the RTO data of the vehicles belonging to the petitioners as the norms framed under the fee collection rules of 2008 describes a light motor commercial passenger vehicle with seating capacity up to 32 as a 'minibus' and as 'bus/truck' if the seating capacity is more than 32 and/or unladen weight of the vehicle is above 12,000 kg. The court pointed out that MV Act describes a vehicle with unladen weight up to 7,500 kg as a light motor vehicle and beyond 12,000 kg as a heavy passenger motor vehicle but there is 'vacuum' in the Act with respect to classification of vehicles between 7,500 kg and 12,000 kg. Registering as minibus The bus owners were registering their vehicle under the category of 'minibus' in FASTag by taking advantage of the MV Act as many of their buses were under 12,000 kg even though the seating capacity exceeded 32, the court noted while pointing out that base rate of toll for LMVCs/minibus is ₹1.05 per km and for bus/truck is ₹2.2 per km. Though the MV Act defines a medium passenger vehicle, the weight of such vehicles is left undefined, and the definition of a 'bus' is nowhere found in the MV Act, the court said. Also, the court noted a clarification given by the RTO to the petitioner-association that irrespective of the unladen weight of the vehicles, all stage carriage vehicles are mentioned as 'bus' in the registration certificates. Since the toll collection is governed by the NH Act and the fee collection rules, and not under the MV Act, the court upheld the action of the authorities in recovering differential toll amount from the FASTag accounts.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Don't rely on revenue records alone while fixing compensation for acquired land, rules Kerala high court
Kochi: Kerala high court has held that, while determining compensation for acquired land, the authorities need not be solely guided by entries in revenue records. Justice Viju Abraham delivered the ruling while disposing of a plea by Mano Alex of Kottayam, who sought compensation for her land acquired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). She contended that the land should be treated as 'purayidam' and not as paddy land, as recorded in the revenue entries. The petitioner submitted that the land had been converted prior to the enactment of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008, and that she had filed an application in 2010 for its removal from the data bank. Although HC had, in 2024, directed the revenue officials to consider her application, no action was taken. NHAI argued that the petitioner could pursue her claim before the competent authority under the National Highways Act, 1956. Upon examining the records, HC held that the authority must determine compensation by considering various parameters, not just the revenue records. These include title documents, the physical nature and use of the land prior to acquisition, the nature of the locality, infrastructural development in the area, proximity to roads, ease of access and the fair value notification, juxtaposed with the revenue entries. The court emphasised that the authority is statutorily obligated to conduct a comprehensive inquiry on these aspects. The petition was disposed of with liberty to the petitioner to raise all her contentions before the competent authority during the inquiry process.
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, over 170 others booked for blocking national highway during protest
The Jalandhar Rural Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Congress MLA from Adampur, Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, along with approximately two dozen identified individuals and around 150 unidentified persons, for allegedly blocking the Jalandhar-Pathankot National Highway on April 23 during a protest. The protest, led by Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, was staged on the national highway near the Bhogpur Sugar Mill in opposition to the proposed setting up of a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) plant. The facility, which is to be established within the premises of the sugar mill, would process solid waste collected from the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation area. However, Kotli has voiced strong opposition to the project, citing environmental and public health concerns. According to the Congress leader, the plant would result in the dumping of massive quantities of garbage in and around the sugar mill, creating what he described as an 'unbearable mess' for the residents of the surrounding areas. Kotli has been campaigning against the project for the past eight to nine months, and claims to have raised the issue with the district administration multiple times, alleging that officials have shown little willingness to address public concerns. The FIR against Kotli and others was registered under Section 8B of the National Highways Act, which pertains to obstruction of traffic on national highways and carries a punishment of up to five years' imprisonment. Additional charges have been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including violations related to noise pollution and public order. Speaking to the media, Kotli confirmed that the FIR was filed on the night of April 23 but only came to light Tuesday. 'I am not afraid of any legal action. I will continue to oppose this project and fight the case through legal means. I am ready to be arrested if the police require my presence,' he said. Kotli also accused the administration of ignoring repeated warnings about the negative consequences the waste processing facility could bring to the local environment and public health. 'We have tried to raise this issue through meetings with the authorities, but they are simply not listening to the concerns of the people who will be directly affected,' he added. The situation remains tense in the area as residents and supporters of the MLA continue to express discontent over the planned plant. Meanwhile, authorities said they are monitoring the developments, and have not ruled out further action against others involved in the protest.
