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Land in Zambia, sold in Doaba
Our Correspondent

Nawanshahr, September 10
The police has arrested two persons for allegedly deceiving youths of Doaba region on the pretext of making them owners of 100 acres of agricultural land each in Zambia in Africa for Rs 2.25 lakh. The two accused, Gurdip Singh Cheema and Parminder Singh, both residents of Khanna in Ludhiana districts, cheated six youth of Rs 23.82 lakh by posing themselves as the proprietor of the “Global Green Lands Ltd”.

The victims were Mr Balbir Singh, Mr Shinder Pal Singh both residents of Sauna village in Nawanshahr district, Mr Lakhbir Singh of Barwa village in Nawanshahr district, Mr Jujhar Singh of Rurki Khas village in Hoshiarpur district, Mr Mohinder Singh of Kabul Alipur village in Hoshiarpur district and Mr Harvinder Singh of Bhogpur in Jalandhar district.

They told this correspondent that in August an advertisement appeared in a Jalandhar based Punjabi daily inviting partners for the agricultural land in an African country at the rate of Rs 2.25 lakh per 100 acres.

When they contacted the advertisers Gurdip Singh and Parminder Singh — for further details they were told that they had launched a company named “Global Green Lands Ltd.” and required 20 partners for the land to be purchased in Zambia. The accused assured them that the land would be within the radius of 300 km from Lusaka and would be cultivable. The partners would be given 100 acres, share in machinery and boarding and lodging expenses for six months.

Besides, the accused also assured them that a partnership deed would be made which would assume that if any of the proprietor of the company put the money at risk, a claim of Rs 50 lakh could be made against him in any court of any country.

After receiving advance money from them, Gurdip Singh went to Zambia in the beginning of the year 2000 and after returning, he told them that the company had been registered and land had been booked in Zambia. In May 2000, Gurdip Singh again went to Zambia and returned in July 2001. Parminder Singh informed them that all work and papers regarding purchase of land and immigration had been completed and asked them to arrange the balance money, Mr Balbir Singh and Mr Shinder Pal said, adding that soon afterwards Parminder Singh showed some “formed documents” and said that machinery was to be purchased and collected the balance amount from them.

They said they became suspicious when the accused told them that they would be taken to Zambia on temporary visas and that too as labourers. Then they decided to verify the facts and sent Mr Mehar Singh Bains to Zambia along with Mr Gurdip Singh.

Their suspicions turned out to be true when Mr Mehar Singh came back as told them that the accused were cheating them by making false promises and providing wrong factual information.