Ferozepur Land Heist: How An IAF Airstrip Near Pakistan Border Vanished For Decades, `Sold` By Kin-OxBig News Network

A 28-year-old land scam has surfaced in Ferozepur, in which a mother-son team has been booked for allegedly masterminding the illegal sale of an strategically important Indian Air Force (IAF) airstrip, allegedly in connivance with revenue authorities. The historic World War II-era airstrip, which was used as an advanced landing ground in the 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars, was fraudulently sold in 1997.

The accused Usha Ansal and her son Naveen Chand of Dumni Wala village were named in an FIR as per an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court had asked the chief director of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) to probe the serious charges, an investigation that finally established the sale to have been fraudulent.

The case has been lodged against the accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), such as cheating by personation (419), cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (420), forgery (465, 467), using a forged document as genuine (471), and criminal conspiracy (120B). Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Karan Sharma is overseeing the detailed investigation to identify everyone involved in this long-buried scam.

Strategic Land Near Pakistan Border

Situated in Fattuwala village, just perilously close to the border with Pakistan, the ownership of the airstrip was eventually re-transferred to the Ministry of Defence in May 2025, following a long and drawn-out court battle and intervention by the High Court.

The land, which the British purchased on 12 March 1945, to utilise during World War II, actually belonged to the IAF, according to the VB probe. Usha Ansal and Naveen Chand are accused of falsely claiming ownership and selling it, using forged documents in league with some revenue officials.

The issue first came to light in the form of a complaint by whistleblower Nishan Singh, who is a retired revenue officer. No serious action was taken against this complaint for years. The commandant of the Halwara Air Force Station wrote to the Ferozepur deputy commissioner in 2021 as reported, requesting an investigation into the scam. The Punjab and Haryana High Court intervened after several delays, resulting in the present FIR and ongoing investigation.