Chandbali: Local farmers are left in the lurch as the cheques given by some realty companies of Gujarat in return for their farm land have bounced.
More than 40 farmers of Chandbali area in Bhadrak district have handed over their land to these companies and their agents.
The duped farmers belong to Baliharpur, Banshada, Nuagaon, Dhamara, Shashijaideipur and Balabhadraprasad mouzas. As per their allegation, around 14 companies have bought more than 200 acres of land in the name of a person Vijaya Balu in the last two years.
A complainant Kamala Sahu said, “In Baliharpur mouza, I had a piece of land which I sold in the hope of constructing a house with the money. Though I got a Rs 3 lakh cheque for the land, no bank is accepting it.”
Another farmer Bharat Samal, who also sold his 2.92 acres of land to an agent of Sarbashrestha Real Estate Pvt Ltd for Rs 14.30 lakh, has also reached the same fate as other farmers. Samal said, “The agent asked us to sell the land in return of good money. The cheque which was issued to me bounced in the bank.”
Meanwhile, a case has been registered at the Chandbali police station. Bhadrak Collector Laxminarayan Mishra said the action will be taken after examining the allegations.
Mishra said, “There is a possibility that some other such case might have occurred. We will undertake a detailed survey in all the tehsils, including Chandbali, and take appropriate action.”