The Chhattisgarh Waqf Board has unearthed a sprawling land scam valued at over Rs 500 crore. The revelation has rocked administrative, political and commercial circles alike, with legal notices now issued to 400 individuals and establishments allegedly linked to the illegal appropriation of Waqf properties across the state.

The alleged scandal revolves around the systematic encroachment and fraudulent registration of over 200 plots of Waqf land assets legally designated for religious, educational and charitable purposes.

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Preliminary findings suggest a deeply entrenched network involving forged documents, impersonation of Waqf trustees, and manipulation of official land records—activities allegedly facilitated by complicit officials at various levels of the system.

Prominent commercial entities named in the probe include Laxmi Electricals, A-to-Z Bakery, and Pagaria Jewellers— a well known business house in Raipur accused of either knowingly or unwittingly acquiring Waqf properties through illegal transactions.

While several of these firms have denied any wrongdoing, the Waqf Board has issued a 15-day ultimatum for all implicated parties to respond before legal proceedings begin.

The Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman , Salim Raj has explained how the fraud came to light. “A routine internal audit flagged discrepancies in land records, which led to a deeper probe. What we uncovered was a pattern— fabricated deeds, forged signatures, and illegal transfers masquerading as legitimate deals,” he said. He added that more properties are likely to be identified as the investigation expands.

The geographical scope of the fraud spans key urban and semi-urban areas in Raipur, Bilaspur, and Durg. According to insiders, the scale of the scam could surpass current estimates, given the historical opacity surrounding Waqf land management.

The state government is under growing pressure to respond decisively. In parallel, the Revenue Department has launched a verification drive into land record tampering, and there are indications that central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, may be roped in to probe money laundering links. Senior officials in the Chief Minister’s Office are said to be closely monitoring developments.