The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) bought 12.56 acres of agricultural land in Bathinda’s Deon village for Rs 19.77 crore on December 20, 2024, paying around Rs 1.57 crore an acre. The same day, the seller, Darshan Singh, exchanged two land parcels with two brothers — Bhushan Garg and Vikram Garg — from adjoining Mehma Bhagwana village, with the revenue records valuing the exchanged parcels at Rs 32.50 lakh and Rs 32.75 lakh, respectively. In both exchanges, the land parcels were valued at the prevailing collector rate of around Rs 40 lakh an acre.Eleven days later, on December 31, Bhushan Garg sold 4 kanals and 7 marlas — about 0.54 acres — of the land he had received from Darshan to three buyers for Rs 24.40 lakh, equivalent to around Rs 40 lakh an acre. Revenue records show that the parcel was situated on Deon village’s main road.An analysis by The Indian Express of sale deeds and subsequent mutation records, obtained by RTI activist Rajiv Vashishth, reveals the sequence of transactions involving the same landowner. The documents show three transactions involving Darshan registered on December 20, followed by the resale of part of the exchanged land by one of the recipients 11 days later.The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has examined the PCA’s payment for the land, has flagged subsequent transfers of the money and a cash withdrawal of Rs 44.60 lakh, and recommended that the Punjab Police register an FIR to investigate the deals.What happened on December 20*PCA buys 12.56 acres. Under Vasika No. 11823, the PCA purchased 100 kanals and 10 marlas from Darshan Singh for Rs 19,76,94,500. The recorded price worked out to approximately Rs 1.57 crore an acre.*Darshan exchanges land with Bhushan Garg. Under Vasika No. 11824, Bhushan gave Darshan 5 kanals and 4 marlas in Mehma Bhagwana and received 6 kanals and 10 marlas in Deon. The exchange was valued at Rs 32.50 lakh under the collector-rate assessment. No money changed hands between the parties, apart from stamp duty and applicable registration charges.*Darshan exchanges land with Vikram Garg. Under Vasika No. 11825, Vikram gave Darshan 7 kanals and 8 marlas in Mehma Bhagwana and received 6 kanals and 11 marlas in Deon. The exchange was valued at Rs 32.75 lakh. Revenue records show that the two exchanges formed part of the same fard (land ownership record) in which the PCA purchased land from DarshanStory continues below this adWhat happened 11 days laterOn December 31, Bhushan sold 4 kanals and 7 marlas out of the 6 kanals and 10 marlas he had received from Darshan. Vasika No. 12122 records the sale to Tarsem Chand, Munish Goyal and Mohit Aggarwal for Rs 24.40 lakh. The 0.54-acre parcel, located on the village’s main road, was sold at approximately Rs 40 lakh an acre.The contrast is stark: the PCA paid around Rs 1.57 crore an acre, while the exchanged parcels were valued at the collector rate of around Rs 40 lakh an acre, as was Bhushan’s subsequent sale. The transactions involved different parcels, however, and the comparison alone does not establish that they were directly equivalent in market value.“The dates are significant,” Vashishth said, asking why the PCA paid substantially more than the collector rate for agricultural land purchased directly from a farmer. He called for an investigation to establish whether Darshan received the entire amount paid by the PCA or returned any part of it, citing withdrawals and transfers recorded in his bank accounts.The ED recorded that most of the money received from the PCA was subsequently transferred to various people and that Rs 44.60 lakh was withdrawn in cash. The agency has recommended that the Punjab Police register an FIR and investigate the land transactions.Story continues below this adPCA president Amarjit Singh Mehta had earlier said that the proper procedure was followed in purchasing the land.The Deon transactions are among the PCA land deals for proposed sports facilities that have come under scrutiny. From Bathinda’s Deon village to Bhalla village in Amritsar district, questions have been raised over transaction dates, land valuations and the movement of purchase money.