The Gauhati High Court has asked the Mizoram government, the Union government, the Indian Air Force and other authorities to respond to a public interest litigation challenging the payment of nearly Rs 198.79 crore in compensation for land acquired at Lengpui for an IAF administrative establishment. A division bench of Justices Michael Zothankhuma and Budi Habung issued the notices on Monday after hearing the PIL filed by the Citizen Alliance for Truth and Justice (CATAJ) and Rev Zaidarhzauva.
The petition disputes the acquisition of about 110 bighas at Lengpui village and the subsequent payment, which is also cited in court records as Rs 198,78,55,155. Petitioners say the acquired parcels were covered by seven Land Settlement Certificates (LSCs), with compensation for individual plots ranging from about Rs 79.23 lakh to Rs 3.88 crore.
According to the petition, the compensation that should have gone to the seven recorded LSC owners was instead paid largely to two men: roughly Rs 69.99 crore to Rohmingliana of Vaivakawn and about Rs 117.19 crore to Henry Lalremsanga Hlawnmual of Bawngkawn. The petitioners allege these transfers were irregular.
Counsel for the petitioners told the court that three recorded landowners — K Lalduha, HL Samuel and Ramfangzauva — submitted written declarations saying they had no knowledge of how their village council passes were converted into LSCs and that they never sold their land to Rohmingliana. The petition further notes that seven sale deeds dated May 9, 2005, produced to support the transfers were not registered under the Indian Registration Act as amended for Mizoram.
The court was also shown documents said to have been executed by the seven landowners in September 2019 authorising Rohmingliana to receive compensation on their behalf, and minutes of an official meeting linked to the proposed acquisition.
The bench recorded an earlier undertaking by Rohmingliana, dated July 18, 2025, in which he said he could not produce original LSCs because they had been mortgaged with IDBI Bank’s regional office in Guwahati. In that undertaking he requested an advance release of Rs 30 crore from his compensation to clear the loan, redeem the documents and submit them to district authorities.
After hearing the petitioners, the court said the State must explain why compensation was released to Rohmingliana and Henry Lalremsanga Hlawnmual when the sale deeds were allegedly unregistered and when three owners denied conversion or sale of their land. Finding the allegations raised substantial questions, the court issued notices to all respondents and directed them to file affidavits.
The matter is listed for further hearing on August 25, 2026. The alleged irregularities, widely referred to by critics as the “Lengpui land scam,” have provoked public debate, calls for an independent probe and sharp exchanges between the ruling Zoram People’s Movement government and its opponents.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/gauhati-hc-seeks-mizoram-govts-reply-in-rs-198.79-cr-lengpui-land-scam-case
Category: North East
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-07-28 10:27:00
