What happened
In a feat of bureaucratic choreography, Mizoram acquired land near Lengpui airport for an Indian Air Force base at a generous Rs 187.90 crore — then proceeded to pay two individuals, who were NOT the original landowners, the overwhelming bulk of the money. One received Rs 117.90 crore, another got Rs 70 crore, and the actual owners whose ancestral land was being taken were left with whatever pocket change remained. The mandatory Social Impact Assessment was waived, village councils were never formally notified, and a process that legally takes years was rammed through in 70 days — faster than most Mizoram PWD potholes get filled. Mizoram Congress Chief Lalsawta has called it 'the biggest corruption case in the history of Mizoram,' which is saying something in a state whose capital is currently arguing about whether to move itself to Thenzawl. In an unprecedented show of bipartisan unity, the ruling ZPM, opposition MNF, and Congress all passed an Assembly resolution demanding a CBI probe — the only thing they could agree on was that nobody knew who signed the cheques.