Haryana's Revenue Department Exposes 370 Corrupt Patwaris and 170 Illegal Middlemen

Kaithal emerges as the epicenter of corruption with 46 tainted patwaris, followed by Sonepat with 41 and Mahendragarh with 36. Gurugram, while having fewer corrupt officials, leads in the number of middlemen with 26 individuals acting as illegal intermediaries. Surprisingly, Panchkula stands out as the only district with no reported corrupt patwaris.

Innovative Methods of Corruption

The investigation revealed creative approaches to corruption. In Rohtak, a middleman acted as a patwari to collect bribes. Sirsa reported a unique case where a patwari's driver acted as a middleman. In Mahendragarh, a patwari focused on real estate dealings while delegating official duties to middlemen. Some officials in Hisar rarely showed up for work, forcing citizens to resort to bribery through intermediaries. 

Government Response and Action Plan

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has emphasized the BJP government's zero-tolerance stance on corruption. The Revenue Department has given deputy commissioners a 15-day deadline to investigate and submit detailed reports. The Financial Commissioner has demanded strict action against corrupt officials and their accomplices. 

Impact on Public Services

The corruption network has severely affected essential revenue services including land record partitions, measurements, property mutations, and record corrections. Bribe amounts vary based on the complexity of work, with some officials demanding up to Rs 10,000 per task. Many of these corrupt officials secured their positions in recent transfers during 2023-24, while some have remained at the same post since 2016.