SOLAN: The Himachal Pradesh government has cracked the whip on the controversial ‘Chester Hills’ project in Solan, ordering a high-level probe into land deal irregularities. In a major move, the state government has directed the Solan Deputy Commissioner (DC) to investigate the Chester Hill-2 and Chester Hill-4 projects, specifically looking into blatant violations of the state’s land laws.
The government has also formally revoked its earlier order that had put a stay on any action against the project. With the decks now cleared, officials have been told to hear all parties involved and take strict legal action as per the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reform Act, 1972.
The ‘Benami’ Angle
Legal experts tracking the development say the stakes are incredibly high. If the investigation proves that these deals were ‘Benami’ transactions, the entire prime land could be confiscated and taken over by the sarkar.
The trouble for the developers started with a detailed report by the Solan SDM, which blew the lid off the entire operation. According to the report:
The land was officially registered in the name of a local farmer to bypass strict laws.
In reality, a developer company-which does not qualify under the ‘farmer’ category—was handling everything from construction to marketing and sales.
Payments made by flat buyers reportedly went straight into the company’s bank accounts rather than the landowner’s, suggesting the “farmer” was merely a front.
Financial Mismatch and Political Heat
The SDM’s report has also raised red flags over the financial side of the deal. Questions are being asked about how such a massive land acquisition was funded when the declared income of those involved was relatively low.
What began as a regulatory issue has now snowballed into a major political and legal storm. Recently, High Court advocate Vinay Sharma lodged a police complaint against the Chief Secretary, alleging a scam worth ₹1,500 crore.
Meanwhile, the opposition, including the BJP and CPIM, has started cornering the government and bureaucracy on the issue. With the administration now under pressure to deliver results, the coming days could see big disclosures and potential arrests in what is being seen as one of the biggest real estate controversies in the region.
