Yoga Guru Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust was eagerly awaiting revival of the 96.2 bigha land lease at Kehlog village near Sadhupul following withdrawal of the case filed by it in the state High Court as per the condition laid by the government for re-considering its decision.

A visit to the site today revealed that the area wore a deserted look as the main gate had been locked after the government took possession of this site on February 22, 2013 following cancellation of the lease. A board which read, “Himachal government property and trespassers would be prosecuted” could be seen erected outside the gate.

Laxmi Dutt, who had signed the lease on behalf of the trust when contacted, said, “We are awaiting the revival of the lease as the condition of withdrawing the case laid down by the state Cabinet has been fulfilled. No intimation about revival of the lease had as yet been received by us as of now.”He informed that an expenditure of Rs 14 crore had already been incurred on this centre in the first phase and a similar amount was supposed to be incurred on its subsequent development. He said a medical centre where advance diagnostic tests were supposed to be conducted was planned for this site.

In the first phase a herbal garden and a training centre were supposed to come up. In the subsequent phase a naturopathy and yog centre and small processing units for locally available medicinal plants were to be set up. A hall spread across 10,500 sq feet had already been completed.The state government had taken possession of this centre shortly before Yog Guru Ramdev could inaugurate its first phase on February 27, 2013.

The foundation stone of this centre was laid on June 20, 2010 by the former Chief Minister PK Dhumal and the project had run into rough weather following change of regime in 2012.Interestingly, a case of forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy had also been registered against Acharya Balkrishan, Lalit Mohan, MD of the trust, and some officers, including the then Deputy Commissioner on February 1, 2013.

Inquires had revealed that the land was allotted at Chauhada village while an overwriting had been made and the location of the land was changed to Kehlog village.Not much headway had, however, been made in this case ever since it was registered four years ago. The exercise appears to have been reduced to a political gimmick as even the charge sheet could not be filed in the court till now.Additional SP Manmohan Singh, when contacted, said they had sought prosecution sanction from the state government as some officers had been named in the FIR but its sanction was yet to be received.