Land near IMA in Dehradun under probe over allotment row

Dehradun: Nearly 20 acres of land located close to the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun has come under the scanner over its alleged allotment for setting up an Islamic educational institution.

The land was reportedly allotted about 20 years ago during the Congress government’s tenure.

A preliminary inquiry by Vikasnagar sub-divisional magistrate Vinod Kumar found that the land, situated in the Dhaulas area near the IMA, is now allegedly being divided into smaller residential plots and sold. The report has raised concerns about possible security risks to the military training academy nearby.

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said strict action would be taken in the matter. He alleged that the Congress had earlier spoken about setting up a Muslim university and claimed that such plans might have moved forward if they had returned to power.

Responding to the allegations, senior Congress leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat said the issue dates back to 2004 when Narayan Dutt Tiwari was the chief minister. He pointed out that the BJP has been in power several times since then and could have cancelled the land allotment if there were concerns.

BJP MLA and state spokesperson Vinod Chamoli, however, said the case has once again exposed what he described as questionable decisions taken by previous Congress governments. He questioned the purpose of the land allotment made during the Tiwari government and alleged that the plan was stalled due to BJP’s opposition and the party’s victory in the 2022 Assembly elections. He also claimed that land mafia elements are now trying to encroach upon the property.

(with inputs from agencies)