Former Cricketer Exposes Alleged Bribery in Punjab Land Deals
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New Delhi, April 18 (NationPress) A recent social media revelation by former national cricketer Pulkit Sharma has ignited a significant discussion surrounding alleged corruption in the land registration system in Punjab. He shared his personal journey through the bureaucratic maze, highlighting troubling practices.
Sharma took to X, alleging that he was obliged to fork out bribes to numerous officials, even though his property documents were completely valid.
He recounted his experience, stating that extortion wasn't limited to a tehsildar but involved payments to “more than twenty others,” asserting that “everyone has their own designated fee.” He emphasized that a simple error could lead to files being intentionally delayed. Describing this ordeal as “shameful,” he expressed that engaging in transactions in Punjab felt “criminal,” despite the process being ostensibly transparent.
"I recently registered a land purchase in Punjab. The sheer amount of bribe paid to the Teshsildar and 28 other individuals was outrageous. My lawyer mentioned that everyone has their own fee structure. One small mistake? Your file gets stuck. The land I acquired was CLEAN. For something so straightforward, I found myself paying bribes to the dishonest Punjab Administration. It’s disgraceful to invest in Punjab. SHAMEFUL," Sharma tweeted.
The post quickly gained traction online, eliciting mixed reactions. While many resonated with his frustrations regarding governmental inefficiency, others contested his claims. One commenter suggested that such issues persist because individuals often comply instead of resisting them, sharing their own experience of completing the registration without extra payments.
Addressing the backlash, Sharma maintained his stance and elaborated on what he described as a deeply rooted system of corruption. He pointed out that brokers operate openly outside tehsil offices with fixed rates, while officials continually raise objections, even after documents have been verified, until bribes are received. He also highlighted that delays are often orchestrated, with officials arriving late, failing to respond, and intentionally stalling files to exert pressure on individuals.