Tax probe? LDA shares list of high value land buyers with I-T dept
The list includes names of prominent real estate developers, firms, and individuals, all of whom will now be required to provide documentation detailing the inflow and outflow of money used to purchase these properties
LUCKNOW The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has submitted a list of buyers of properties exceeding 1,000 square metres to the income tax department. These plots, sold for crores, have drawn the attention of the I-T department, which is expected to launch an investigation into the source of the buyers’ income.

The list, accessed by Hindustan Times, includes names of 241 individuals and firms who purchased commercial plots from the LDA between 2008 and 2024.
LDA chief finance officer Deepak Singh said, “The report has been sent to the income tax department.” An I-T official said the probe into the case will begin after checking all the documentation.
Most of the properties listed are situated in the Gomti Nagar area along with other areas like Sharda Nagar on Rae Bareli road, Kanpur road scheme, Basant Kunj scheme, Mansarovar Scheme, Jankipuram extension, Priyadarshini Scheme, CG City scheme of LDA.
Over a month’s time taken by the authority to compile the list has raised questions about its accuracy, especially as only 241 plots were recorded as sold over a span of about 16 years.
The list includes names of prominent real estate developers, firms, and individuals, all of whom will now be required to provide documentation detailing the inflow and outflow of money used to purchase these properties.
An LDA official explained that the authority operates on a “no profit, no loss” model. This means LDA charges buyers only for development costs, compensation to farmers, and other related expenses, without generating profit.
The official said initially, the list was larger, reportedly reaching four digits due to errors in the computer system. But LDA later refined the list based on the I-T department’s specific request for plot sizes and the 2008–2024 timeline.
To identify the actual owners of firms listed as buyers, the I-T department would need to examine property registries and other financial documents. He suggested that some bureaucrats might have acquired commercial plots through firms registered under other names. The assumption is that many individuals used proxies to purchase land, making it difficult to trace the real buyers, added the official.
The authority’s cooperation with the I-T department is likely play a crucial role in uncovering the financial details and ownership of these high-value plots.