A 25-page report by Solan SDM Poonam Bansal has set off a storm within Himachal Pradesh’s bureaucracy and political circles, alleging grave violations in a Rs 47-crore real estate project named Chester Hills. The report accuses key officials and a “shadow developer” of bypassing Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, a critical safeguard preventing non-agriculturists from acquiring agricultural land.

The investigation claims benami transactions and administrative complicity enabled large-scale land conversions for the luxury housing project, undermining state regulations. While Acting Chief Secretary has reportedly set aside the probe’s findings, opposition parties, led by the BJP, are demanding a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to uncover corruption and trace ownership trails.

The standoff reflects growing tension between district-level officers and higher bureaucratic ranks, amid fears that political shielding could derail accountability. With the Congress government on the defensive and the BJP poised to escalate pressure in the Assembly and public forums, the Chester Hills probe threatens to spill beyond administrative confines, emerging as a defining corruption test for the state’s governance machinery.