Nagpur: After years of targeting innocent homebuyers, Nagpur’s land mafia have now shifted their focus towards developers and builders, exploiting loopholes and official inaction to carry out large-scale frauds worth crores.
According to senior officials of the Economic Offences Wing (EoW), several developers have recently approached the police alleging that they were duped under the pretext of purchasing prime land parcels for upcoming projects. The fraudsters reportedly offer disputed or restricted plots—often belonging to government departments such as the Forest Department—by assuring buyers that the issues can be “cleared” using their high-level political or bureaucratic contacts.
Many victims, however, hesitate to approach the police due to fears of reputational damage or delays that could affect their ongoing projects.
Among the recent cases is one involving the notorious Korpati family—Ramankar Krishnamohan Korpati (54), Madhukar Korpati (57), and Srinivas Korpati (53)—all residents of Bhendala, Tarsa, Mouda. The group, along with brokers Vikram Meshram and Ashok Aswani, allegedly cheated Rajeshwar Park-based developer Motilal Jiyalal Chaudhary (46) of around ₹3 crore.
“The accused offered me a plot adjacent to my project and showed fake clearance papers. Later, I discovered that the land actually belonged to the Forest Department. When questioned, they claimed they would ‘manage’ the matter through their contacts,” Chaudhary said, adding that several other developers were similarly deceived by the same group.
Police sources revealed that names such as Dilip Gwalbanshi and Shoeb Asad have also surfaced in similar fraudulent land dealings across the city.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (EoW) Mahak Swami confirmed that investigations into multiple land fraud cases are underway. “Land scams in Nagpur are no longer limited to individual buyers—builders too are being targeted. We urge all affected parties to come forward and file formal complaints with the police or the EoW,” Swami said.
Authorities have launched a crackdown on the land mafia and urged developers to thoroughly verify ownership and clearance documents before investing in any property deal.