An investigation has raised questions over land purchases by the family of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav since he took office in December 2023. The report links many of the acquisitions to areas expected to benefit from infrastructure projects and planned changes in land use around Ujjain…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is facing questions over land purchases made by members of his extended family and companies linked to them after an investigation by The Indian Express found that at least 137 plots, covering up to 168 acres and worth around Rs 45 crore, had been acquired since he took office in December 2023.
According to the newspaper’s investigation, the purchases have been concentrated in areas expected to benefit from large-scale urban development and infrastructure projects in and around Ujjain. The report said many of the plots are located close to newly announced road projects or in areas earmarked for a change in land use from agricultural to residential or commercial under the Ujjain Master Plan 2035.
The findings have prompted questions over propriety and the potential for conflicts of interest because of the chief minister’s long association with the planning and development of Ujjain. Mohan Yadav previously served as chairperson of the Ujjain Development Authority between 2004 and 2010, headed the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation from 2011 to 2013, and has represented Ujjain South as an MLA since 2013.
The investigation said ownership records show the land was purchased by Yadav’s wife, Seema; his son Vaibhav’s wife, Shalini Yadav; his brothers, Nandlal and Narayan Yadav; Narayan’s wife, Rekha; their son, Abhay Yadav; and first cousins, Govind and Nilesh Yadav. According to the report, the acquisitions were made either directly or through four real estate companies run by family members.
The Indian Express reported that the chief minister did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A senior state government official rejected suggestions that the business activities of the chief minister’s relatives should be linked to his public office.
“The CM’s extended family has been in the real estate business for a while. Linking their businesses to the CM’s rise in politics will not be proper. When you talk about his family, it should include only his wife, son and daughter-in-law… and there you may not find anything major,” the official told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity.
Responding on behalf of Mohan Yadav’s cousins, Govind and Nilesh, Anant Yadav, son of Govind Yadav, defended the family’s property dealings.
“Our family is in realty business since 2010 when my father developed a 100-bigha property. My uncle has many housing projects. As private individuals, we have every right to buy, develop or sell any private land. Should we shut down just because the CM is from our family?” he told the newspaper.
According to the investigation, around 111 acres of the 168 acres acquired are located alongside highway and road projects announced by the Yadav government. The report said the largest concentrations of land are in the villages of Gangedi, Unhel, Jaiwantpur and Chandesara.
The newspaper said the acquisitions have taken place during a period of rapid urban renewal in Ujjain, driven by major infrastructure upgrades. It argued that the timing and location of the purchases raise questions over whether members of the chief minister’s extended family stood to benefit from development plans and proposed changes in land use.
The state government has maintained that it is inappropriate to connect the business interests of the chief minister’s relatives with his official responsibilities. No allegation of illegality has been made in the report, and no evidence has been presented that Mohan Yadav personally participated in the transactions.
The investigation is likely to add to political scrutiny over transparency and potential conflicts of interest in land transactions linked to influential public figures, particularly in areas undergoing significant public investment and urban expansion.
