NLC says Chang Ugyen is in the wrong and asks replacement for grabbed land

Prime land that had been grabbed by Chang Ugyen in Thimphu.

One of the most controversial land grab cases involving the DPT Vice President in his past capacity as the Chang Gup will see an end with the National Land Commission (NLC) asking him to replace the 10 acres of Land.

The commission in its monthly meeting on July 2012 decided that the land will have to be replaced from any one of the four Dzongkhags of Thimphu, Paro, Punakha and Chukha.

A member of the commission said, “It was established very clearly that Chang Ugyen had illegally taken government land in the Lubding and Babesa area in Thimphu and so the commission has asked him to replace it from one of the four Dzongkhags”.

Commenting on the case the NLC Secretary, Sangay Khandu said, “Something seems to have gone wrong otherwise it wouldn’t have surfaced in the report”.

The scam consisted of two cases and happened when he was the Gup of Chang gewog in 1987. In the first instance, Chang Ugyen put seven acres of community land in Lubding, Lungtenphu, under his name and sold it to five buyers.

In the second instance, Chang Ugyen converted his 2 decimal plot into three acres by forging documents (over writing on the thram). These cases were first uncovered by a special high level committee in 2003 set up to study land misappropriations in Thimphu.

It was also found that there was tampering and overwriting with the 1987 records in the main records in land commission.

The current market value of these 10 acres is estimated to be Nu 300mn.

A land official said that since the Office of the Attorney General has not framed any criminal charges on the forgery of thram records at the Gewog and Land Record offices, there will be no further legal criminal action against Chang Ugyen.

“As a Gup he (Chang Ugyen) may be held liable and if the tampering happened in the Department of Survey and Land Records, the officials in that department should have been held liable,” said the Secretary adding that it is important to see how things were solved at that time.

However, in what could come as a relief to Chang Ugyen the five owners who bought land from Chang Ugyen have voluntarily agreed to give the Satshab on behalf of Chang Ugyen from other Dzongkhags.

The decision of the committee is also in line with the High Court verdict in 2008 which had asked Chang Ugyen to reinstate the land while the five buyers were treated as innocent bystanders establishing a legal precedent of its own kind. Chang Ugyen had then appealed to the National Land Commission.

Legal experts from the then High Court had told The Bhutanese that if the current government had filed a criminal case against Chang Ugyen in the High Court in 2008 then even a criminal verdict on forgery of thram records could have been delivered.

However, even though this government was challenged by Chang Ugyen on civil grounds the government never brought up the criminal charges of thram forgery in court.

Earlier the OAG clarified through a press release that they neither received the report of the Committee formally nor did it receive any instructions from the government to initiate any criminal prosecution against any individual in regard to Chang Ugyen or any other cases.

A NLC official said, “We got the court order from OAG but only after the ten days petition period expired.”

The recent decision is also in the same spirit of the High Level committee recommendations of 2003 that looked at illegal land holdings in Thimphu.

The Surveyor General has been directed to work with the Dzongkhag and the Thromde to take over the land and also ensure that Thrams which were supposed to be deleted by the Thromde a long time back ago should be deleted.

The recommendations of the High Level Investigation Committee stated that all Thrams should be deleted. However, some Thrams still were not deleted by the Thromde.

Accordingly, a report on the implementation of the decision of the recent commission meeting will be presented in the upcoming commission meeting of NLC.

The Bhutanese had earlier reported that the deadline to give back the Satshab was by 2011. The Land Secretary said that when the deadline approached, the case was re-appealed by Chang Ugyen and re-considered.

Also The Prime Minister during the ‘Meet the Press’ earlier in March this year said that Chang Ugyen had approached the Prime Ministers Grievance cell against the NLC’s decision asking to him replace the land of equal value. The Prime Minister said that the Prime Minister’s office has given its directives and its views to the land commission.

On this, the Secretary said that it is the Prime Minister’s prerogative to direct the case to the commissions to take appropriate action.

The High Level Committee report of 2003 showed 45 cases of excess land being found registered within Thimphu from Chunzom to Pangrizampa and that 186.45 acres had to be returned by 48 individuals. By the year 2007, all the cases were completed except for ten including Chang Ugyen and others.

The High Level committee was instituted by the government in 2001 to study cases of excess land registration in Thimphu. The committee had submitted its report by 2003.

Earlier three parties the PDP, DNT and DMT had asked for an ACC investigation into the land scam.

The Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley had come to the defense of his Vice President saying that article was meant to show the DPT government in poor light.

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86 comments

  1. Hahahaha, What a joke, Forging Signature,thram, and converting govt.land in his name is not criminal, those people who forge signature and with draw few thousands are put behind bar. Again now he is given with choice to subsitude land from other dzongkhags. What is the value of Land in thimphu and that of other Dzongkhags. If i am given with such chances by NLC I will give my once Acre land to NLC for just 2-3 plots at Thimphu.
    Somthing smells Fishy here,and Buyer might be from High level. We prefer NLC to get back Same land which Chang Ugyen has Grabbed few year back.

    • I think theBhutanese media is going great job and hats off to the organization. Well, since it is proved that Chang Ugen has tampered government documents for his own benefit, I am of the strong view that he should be penalized heavily and this will only be realized if there is political will.
      It is so disgracing to know that the why the present government is not taking stern action……………………………..please highlight your views……………..

  2. This is completely unacceptable. How can a land in Thimphu be replaced from other dzongkhag? My views on it would be

    – Get the same land from the existing owners. The buyers should also be the victims because out here Chang Ugyen can be considered as the thief and the buyers encouraging him to do it.

    – It will encourage others to do the same thing. But be reminded that this case will continue in the future when new politicians come up with no connection with Chang Ugyen.

    – Where is Zero Tolerance for Corruption by DPT government? I think its applicable only when none of their people gets affected.

  3. The land which Chang Ugen grabbed in Thimphu must be given back to the government and Chang Ugen locked up, it is not acceptable that he be allowed to replace land from another Dzongkhag, this is a load of bull. With immediate effect he must also be relieved of any party posts he holds within the DPT, although the land grab took place much before 2008, he needs to be shown the door as he is a disgrace to the DPT.

    • high time this bugger was locked up. 

      • Agree with you 200 percent, if Chang Ugen gets away as if nothing happened, I am afraid, we will be heading our neighbor India’s way, where hundreds of criminals with political affinity to a powerful political party get away, sometimes, literally with murder, ie take the example of Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the New Delhi Common Wealth 2010 organizing committee who has massive corruption charges against him and yet he was granted bail to attend the London Olympic games.

        The DPT and the PM must realize, sooner, rather than rather later, that they need to get rid of such people that would reflect badly on the party’s image. But, as II mentioned earlier, the PM/DPT has nothing to do with looking away while this land grab was taking place as it happened much before the DPT was formed. Maybe we need to investigate how this land grab took place as it is clear that some government officials assisted him, without such help, it would have been impossible to register government land in his name. The 5 people who Chang Ugen sold the land to must be investigated too, as it is not normal for a Bhutanese to be so willing to give up their land in replacement of the land which they bought from Chang Ugen.

        Come on, “The Bhutanese”, I am sure you can do another story on the lines that I have just suggested.

      • The DPT may not be actively protecting him but so long as he is the party VP he will get de facto protection. Yes he needs to first get kicked out from the party. And he needs to be prosecuted, and soon.

        • The PM and the DPT need to get rid of Chang Ugen as quickly as possible and he should stripped of all party posts he holds with immediate effect. I just read about him in one of these newspapers today commenting on the party tickets for the next elections and was not at all amused.

        • which paper? I sure hope the new parties realize he is going to be a liability more than an asset and exclude him. He comes from the feudal age of Bhutan and has no business trying to lead Bhutan in the 21st century.

    • antiSycophants

      i support you in this regard.

  4. Tshering Gyelsten

    what did team of gelephu land dealer including drangpon do in : selling some govt land or the absconder land to innocent buyers ….all of them serving 7 to 9 yrs of behind bars, except Drangpon who is out on helath ground since he was relatives of an influential person.
    why there is double standards every where??? if people in gelephu who sold….can go behind bar, why not chang who forged the tharm??

    • What do you mean the Drangpon was let off, I thought he was the one who should have got the heaviest sentence, as he clearly misused his office and is a disgrace to the drangpon fraternity. Once a drangpon, someone who is supposed to uphold the sanctity of the law begins to commit crimes, then we are in thick shit.

      • “The Bhutanese”, how come you missed the story about the Drangpon being let off while the others are still serving long sentences, were you warned that you were not going to get any more ads or what! Investigative journalism, my foot.

  5. Chang ugyen should return the same land that he took; civil servants involved I this case should be prosecuted. Land  Substitute from other dzongkhags is go solution to this land scam issue. Citizens will stand up and fight non stop.
    Elected representives in the govt, constitutional bodies and govt servants receiving salary from taxes must lead tax payers/ citizens effectively and efficiently when u have the opportunity. Land and property cases must be solved with due regard.

  6. great outcome DPT…what a sad reality happening in the GNH country….people will react sooner or later. It will be interesting to wait and see……why should he return the land….just waive off and let him be free….I wonder how things will function in future if these kind of examples are set! ….vow..I am terrified by this news!

  7. Now i am beginning to think that there is no place for honest and hardworking people in this country.
    Every now and then there are lots of corruption, favoritism, nepotism and the worst case is there is no justice when it comes to influential people are involved la.
    So better do corrupt practices until some one catches you and act innocent when caught.

  8. there goes another influential corruption case. we are in a heavily corrupted society sad but true. it will take sometime to clean up the mess! if its high profile case, ACC – OAG – Courts- etc…..will take ages to pass on the/ their verdict.

  9. PM supporting a criminal???

    • It’s the other way around. Chang Ugyen is supporting the PM and therefore was promoted as DPT Vice President. They two need each other. And of course for this issue the PM has no choice to support Chang Ugyen.

      It’s the state of the DPT party.

      • This is the problem with you guy’s, blaming the PM for no reason, the land Chang Ugen grabbed happened way before the PDT government came to power, if the DPT was protecting him, they would have stopped any investigation into this scam. It is obvious that Chang Ugen has sold the land to some other very influential people and hence the reason for such a ridiculous proposal by the NLC Secretary, though, to be fair to him, it must be a difficult task trying to solve an issue which involves so many people.

        The focus must be on the people who colluded with Chang Ugen and to prosecute them.

    • I think there is a difference between criminal and civil law violators. In this case, it could be corruption. Chang Ugen and his accomplices should be charged for corruption and locked behind bars.  

  10. In Bhutan This is the new lesson for us,

    If you try to do somthing which is against law it shouldnt be small better if you want to have govt.money you have in millions and if you want to grab land please grab like chang Ugyen. Beacuse small and pity things can be ruled out easily and bigger ones they have tuff time. Now If chang Ugyen is given chance with land subsitude from other dzongkhags All the local leaders and influential peoples will follow the same route. So DPT kindly Give him a good lesson its a great chance for DPT to show their Example on Zero Tolorance on Corruption.

  11. What a folly it is to come up with such a ridiculous solution by NLC? hahahaha………tsk tsk……To pay back land from other Dzongkhags when someone illegally grabbed land from Thimphu city area…….isn’t this analogous to the MoWHS minister proposing to sale land to the Trowa theater. Everywhere, our institutions are leaded by fools…..

    • “Legal experts from the then High Court had told The Bhutanese that if the current government had filed a criminal case against Chang Ugyen in the High Court in 2008 then even a criminal verdict on forgery of thram records could have been delivered.” 

      Who is the Legal experts begin refereed here? Give us a transparent news : Name the coward

      • I think the comment made by the legal expert is not in good taste, if anything it is just to make the DPT the scapegoat. For all purposes, the people who were investigating the case much earlier should have filed a criminal case against Chang Ugen. After reading this report, It is now clear as to why criminal charges were not filed against Chang Ugen, according to this article there were a total of 45 cases of excess land having been registered, out of which only 10 are yet to be settled, bringing criminal charges against Chang Ugen would then mean having to bring criminal charges against the others too. In a perfect scenario, all the 45 people accused should have been taken to court, found guilty and jailed, but how things worked in 1987 were very different than how things work now and hence the compromise of returning the excess land may have been recommended by the investigating committee. If the names of the 45 people that were involved in this illegal land grab were made public, we would probably find that all or most of them would be officials that wielded enormous amount of power in those days. Hence the reason for not filing any criminal charges against any party.

        The question is who are the other 9 people that are yet to settle their cases, in failing to mention them and only targeting the Vice President of the DPT, Chang Ugen, this paper makes themselves a target for people who are skeptical about their motives. Why should only Chang Ugen be singled out, we need the names of the other people that are yet to settle their cases to be made public too.

        As for the three parties, the PDP, DNT and the DMT asking for an investigation into the land scam, how can you even mention the latter two parties to somehow make your case stronger, as far as I know, only the PDP is a legitimate political party as of now.

  12. morale is going down and down in the land of gnh. 

  13. This is very ver fishy i doubt, some influentual peoples hand is there in the business,otherwise who will save Chang Ugyen, and the case is on National Issue but no body dares to take it as serious. Some NC members try to face such situation but why chair person of NC remains Neutral. Beacuse when such issue aries they can support ACC and other concerned agents to reveal the truth.

  14. Own Analysis – The law of the land bend as per whims of those 5 buyers and I wonder who could be those 5 buyers? I AM SURE THERE ARE INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE. The verdict passed is absolutely irrational and it must be rejected. WHY ARE OUR LAWS FAIL TO EXECUTE NOW AND THEN? WHO IS BENDING THE LAW?

  15. Why are lands taken from Thimphu being asked to replace from other three dzongkhags? The land rate is Thimphu is skyrocketing . And on top of that what the hell is the DPT government doing? If it had not been their own VP and other normal citizen , DPT would have charged the person with criminal offenses and reported them to the OAG in a flash. Not having legal frameworks to charge a criminal is not an excuse. Maybe this case proves the need to make one! and also the newspapers should find out the names of the five people soo generous to want to replace the land for chang ugyen

    • The land grabbed by Chang Ugyen is from Thimphu the replacement has to be from Thimphu only and it doesn’t make any sense NLC directing for substitution from other Dzongkhags. Gyelpozhing is also a case which happened before DPT came to power but Hon. PM had the decency to order for an ACC investigations where as this was kept silent, why?

  16. Anti-Chang Ugyen

    “It was also found that there was tampering and overwriting with the 1987 records in the main records in land commission.
    The current market value of these 10 acres is estimated to be Nu 300mn.
    A land official said that since the Office of the Attorney General has not framed any criminal charges on the forgery of thram records at the Gewog and Land Record offices, there will be no further legal criminal action against Chang Ugyen.”

    Is it true that there is no law against those who forges or tampers any official documents in Bhutan as mentioned by the Land Record Official?Or the office is trying to protect Chang Ugyen?If the law  is not there does it mean now Chang Ugyen has to be set free?O what a pathetic situation Bhutan is in?Simply saying law is not there so setting him free?
    Come on guys we can’t let this happen.We will take to the street if he is set free?Let what may come.Just because Cgang Ugyen is Vice Prseident of DPT,doesnot mean he has to be set free and the law doesnot apply to him?What would have happened if he was some normal citizen instead of Chang Ugyen?Bhutanese citizen cannot tolerate this anymore now.Enough is enough.Lets come on to the street and shout slogan aganist Chang Ugyen and DPT.Lets come on gusy

  17. This is the biggest joke of the year. People are taken for a ride, it is frustrating to watch how rules and laws are twisted left and right to suit the rich and powerful. I can’t believe Land Commission came up with such bias decision. We need to accept the fact that the land of GNH is ruled by few rich and powerful. 

  18. Next i will build a house near Tashichodzong on government land and replace it with land at Damtsekha in Chhukha. That should be ok. Come on guys this is right time i will give you my land, i have seven acres of land there in mid forest within Chukha. But how long will NLC ask replacement from these Dzongkhags and why?. I smell rotten cheese in NLC’s statements. If that be allowed, remember Thimphu will not have forest and other Dzongkhag will have no settlement.
    Why is this? How did NLC comeup with this fictious decission?
    What will NLC do if everyone who has land in this three Dzongkhag start taking govt. Land at Thimphu.
    I suggest all structure erected be auctioned keeping the land at lease.
    Why do rich and influential have everything under their control and NLC a puppet?
    Whp is that insane who decided to take replecement from other dzongkhags?
    Will NLC agree with what others will do? I SEE A HOLE HERE, PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I(a poor man from Damtsekha) build a house on govt land in Thimphu? Will i be allowed to replace it with a piece of land back at village? If not Why?

  19. when Chang Ugyen is allowed

    • Good question. We must ask when and how, and by whom? However the motive of this paper is quite different I guess. 

  20. I m’ so ashamed of our great leaders for bringing this verdict and without any criminal charges to culprit Chang Ugyen. Just see, our leaders might pay heavy price for that.
     Ngolops can come from within if this is how equity and justice is defined in Bhutan.
    I totally remain as disatisfied Bhutanese today.

    • Maybe nobody is daring to touch the grandson of Alu Dorji. Ugye Wanchu subdued Alu and brought peace after that. Now lets see who subdues this criminal. We will be watching the game!!

  21. What shame on the govt for not being able to uphold its principle. Is this what is called GNH.

  22. Funny! Firstly, I thought if someone was caught with stolen goods, even if they did not steal it themselves, they are required to return them. Ignorance is not an excuse for breaking laws. The buyers are so generous & NLC equally accommodating. Secondly, it is really funny that everyone seem to know that a crime has been committed but are willing to let it pass because nobody is complaining or someone did not report/ charge. Isn’t it written anywhere in any of our laws that such a thing/ ignoring a crime would be a crime too especially if you are a lawmaker or enforcer??

  23. First of all jail the criminal…. then talk cease the land and tell that bloody criminal to repay all the money he took form the current owners. Simple as that. Just because he is VP of a party deosn’t mean he is untouchable.

  24. I’ll also build a house next to PM’s house on a govt land.. Hope he ‘ll be okey with it and ask the NLC to tell me to give a replacement from my native dzongkhag. If a criminal can do that why can’t a a law bidding citizen do so. I can too..

    • These are the childish arguments we can do without, it does not help us to solve any of our problems.

  25. Any one got names of those 5 buyers ?? I really want to know who bought the land ..

    • gup wanchen could be one of the buyer as he is one of the settler on that hill.
      But people might have bought the land out of ignorance, innocence and some after knowing the case. everything is Very fisshy! Sad Bhutan..

  26. Few years back my brother bought a land,Unfortunately the Thram was in the name of Spouse of the seller. The husband(Seller) has forged his wifes signature and transferred the Thram to my Brother. My brother built 2 storey 4 unit traditional House with modern ameneties on that land. Later Seller and his wife got divorced and she filed case against my Brother.Later court ruled out that her husbands fault and they Jailed him. My brother has to surrender Half the Building to his wife with fully furnished( Finished roofing, Internal fittings in Toilet,Kitchen and other rooms). But the seller has Refunded my brother with a Land from his home equalvalent to amount for half of my brothers building which he gaved to his Wife.

    From above point As far as I am concerned Govt has to Snatch all the govt Plots with what ever property is there and Chang Ugyen has to refund accordingly as he is the main culprit. May peace prevail on this earth. But if this thing happens from top i dont thin peace wont last longer and intenal war my come up soon.

    • Chang Ugyen needs to be locked up. OAG Phuntsho Wangdi – what are you waiting for, a kasho from the PM to do your work? It’s not going to come because Chang Ugyen is the DPT Vice President. Now go and do your work or resign.

  27. I think present gov will not do anything, because PM himself is involved in corruption along with his near and dear and party supporter. Next election is not so far, let us change gov. and one the manifesto of new party should have agenda against corruption, we will vote for them.Though verdict/decision are taken unfairly by present gov. we will ask to revoke and start again.All these criminal can be brought to justice it is only matter of time.If such trend continue, it will be no surprise to see people on street stoning,which won’t be healthy.Thanks

  28. People involved in Gelephu land scam including Dasho Drangpon were jailed. Sangay Gyeltshen jailed for illegal mining and forgery of docuemnts. Likewise Chang Ugyen, and peopel involved in Trowa theatre, gyelposhing land scam, Phobjikha, Khuruthang HSS football ground case, and all people involved in the land scam need to be treated equal and action be taken. It is not fair some were jailed and some seem to be above the law. If these things go on, a time will come where people will not respect the system and law of the land. Then chances of prevailing chaos in the country is quite high…….

  29. What an ironic story in this GNH country! I have seen and heard ordinary, low income civil servant being terminated from the civil service for accepting bribe of just Nu. 2000/- value, while in here we have a biggest corrupted man in DPT party in a form of Chang Ugyen who have proved his human quality during his tenure as a gup, the very person who breached the govt. trust is being looked after well by the govt.. We as a public can’t tolerate such Chang Ugyen going scot free when land the precious gem being grabed by him. Whats happening with DPT govt. every law says and even impose penalty for aiding and abetting crimes, but here, It seemed that culprit is enjoying free air of wealth, pleasantries, power, prestige and fame, ‘he should be rotting in the cell and all lands taken by him must be restored back to the people of Bhutan. Govt. must not set negative precedence now by supporting him. it makes us complacent and will breed corrupted parties henceforth, because there is no hope in dark tunnel. God punish the chang Ugyen, shame on him for looting the people of Bhutan and shame on DPT for hiring and supporting corrupted and greedy Chang ugyen.

  30. Really sad with DPT and Corrupted Chang Ugyen Case, so many scams, 1. health procurement scam, 2. gyelpozhing land scam, 3. rupee crisis, 3. inflation crisis, 4. shingkhar-gorgan farm road vs environmental/wild life threat 5. pedestrian day vs. chinese bus scam, and now 6. chang ugyen thimphu land scam, what a ‘diaster promoting party, where is your once promised ‘equity and justice gone’, it’s really getting sad, sad and sad day after day, hearing unpleasant and unhappy news in DPT govt. tenure.

    • what type of leader we have in our Counter the lang of GNH. Last year the innocent monk St was put behin bar beacuse of few packets of BABA khaini and they considered it as criminal. This year Chang Ugyen grabbed 10 Acres of Govt.Land by forging and tempering the documents and it is not criminal and he is scot free. Please dont make our dedicated and honest peoples to become Ngolop.

      • Agey Haap, don’t be an idiot all over again and focus on the land grab issue, instead of bringing up the monks case, if truth be told, the monk was not innocent at all, maybe the punishment was to draconian.

        • the mond, you are idoit here,if you can understand i didnt say that monk is innocent. If he is deserved to be jailed for carrying few pakts of Baba for self consumption then Chang Ugyen has to be given Capital punishment for misusing and abusing of Powers as local leader and tempering of offical documents.

          • We all agree that Chang Ugen is guilty and needs to be punished, the point here is why is this paper only focusing on Chang Ugen when this report clearly states that there are 9 others who have not settled their cases. So what do you have to say, don’t you think that in this way this paper is biased and keeps naming Chang Ugen, only because he is an office bearer of the DPT.

  31. if he has taken land from thimphu then its prema facie case that land must be replaced from thimphu and not from other dzongkhag like chukha, paro or punakha. Why is NLC having biased rule, are they fearing and favouring chang ugyen and DPT Govt.? He must be booked by the laws of the country, why is he free still, under DPT tenure, a monk created history by getting three yrs. non-bailable jail term simply for possessing tobaccoo which he brought for self consumption.

  32. What the heck is this? Why on earth NLC decided for the replacement when it is fair to take the same land from this so called Chang Ugyen. From my point of view, all the illegally taken land should be seized and those guilty should put behind bars for at least 10 years.

  33. Land is not only the ultimate resource for development but a source of future security for all. Since usable urban land is in scarce, the cost of land in Thimphu has sky rocketed in recent years. While it has become difficult for some common people to even regularize their own legal bona fide excess land (Pha sa-Bhu sa) some past local authorities (Miser Go thips) in collabaration with corrupt Land Officials in the past have illegally manipulated the land Records by putting government land in their name as well as in their families name.
    The ACC should initiate a land audit for Thimphu and revert all illegal land holdings back to its people so that the scarce national resource is kept for our  next generation 

  34. Dear The Bhutanse,
    Could you please let us know who r the 5 buyers from Chang Ugyen because am smelling fish while bending and crooking laws.

  35. A man forges signatures to steal 300 million worth of government land, the NLC finds him guilty and has proved it, orders him to replace it with some worthless land from another Dzongkhag and the whole matter is over????

    The Bhutanese, please dig further and let us know who the 5 buyers are. There is a high chance they may not be innocent victims after all.

    Also, please ask whoever the attorney general why a criminal case hasn’t been filed already? Forging documents to steal government land is a serious enough crime to warrant a proper criminal investigation. There are so many people that need to be put to task starting from the attorney general, to all the ones who may have lended help to Chang Ugyen.

    If the DPT government has any sense, they should cut ties with their VP by now. The fact that he is still the VP means the DPT is not serious about their “Zero Tolerance Corruption” and chooses to affiliate themselves with corrupt people.

    The government’s inaction to corruption cases like this makes innocent law abiding citizens loose faith and makes corrupt people even bolder.

  36. if it is a small fish even land commission is not replacing the land from the same dzongkhag ( recently news about Beitkha land replace from paro lango has been rejected by NLC , if Thimphu land to be replace from paro or els where y not within same dzongkhag) law and rules are only ment for glassroot level and we can see, hear all the rule beaker are big fish. so this is how NLC do favour to big fish. even NLC seems to be braking the Land Act .i think better report to ACC for investigation .

  37. again there is no need for illegal land replacement , better restitute and and thouse gulty should put behind the bar as per the law of land . now we can feel the test of democracy.

  38. Truth_is_Buddha

    At best, this whole story is PATHETIC. Represents the hyprocritical status of Bhutan and our people. Represents the status rich and inflential people enjoy. Represents the presence of law but absence of justice. Represents the path that we are taking forward, in a society of GNH and land of dharma. Represents the presence of devils in guise of wise leaders. Represents a much lauded nation, which maybe headed to the brink of disaster. Sad, Pathetic and utterly shameless. Even Budhha would cry.

  39. A man forges signatures to steal 300 million worth of government land, the NLC finds him guilty and has proved it, orders him to replace it with some worthless land from another Dzongkhag and the whole matter is over????

    The Bhutanese, please dig further and let us know who the 5 buyers are. There is a high chance they may not be innocent victims after all.

    Also, please ask whoever the attorney general why a criminal case hasn’t been filed already? Forging documents to steal government land is a serious enough crime to warrant a proper criminal investigation. There are so many people that need to be put to task starting from the attorney general, to all the ones who may have lended help to Chang Ugyen.

    If the DPT government has any sense, they should cut ties with their VP by now. The fact that he is still the VP means the DPT is not serious about their “Zero Tolerance Corruption” and chooses to affiliate themselves with corrupt people.

    The government’s inaction to corruption cases like this makes innocent law abiding citizens loose faith and makes corrupt people even bolder.

  40. Zero tolerance for DPT will come in to action, if Me or other like me who have no background to cling to commits some mistake. For example teachers from MoE who were terminated  from service for misappropriation of few thousands. This is a open case of double standard by DPT govt. 
    It is saying Chang Ugyen ” the criminal ” ( i say so because NLC has found  he has tampered with documents, so he is a criminal) did this before he was VP of DPT & DPT has nothing to do with hiis case. 
    I say there is everything to do with his case with DPT.
    1. Did the party high command terminate him from his post?.. i doubt.
    2. Did the PM say or comment on it up to now?.. i doubt it ‘ll come even.
    3. Is NLC taking we the commoners for a fool, by first saying the criminal had indeed committed a crime and he has to replace lands from some other place. would the verdict be same if it wa some unknown person from the crowd.
    4. Every country is battling with corruption, i feel ours is more of tradition and deeply rooted. It sad to see that our young democracy is finding it difficult to stand strong, with the elected govt involved in almost every scam that is surfacing. Sad day for land of GNH. 
    The question to the leaders i voted by trusting them is ” are you all no better than this?”

  41. ” If you think you are a big gun, chances are that you get fired one day”. This is meant for Chang Ugyen.

    • he has already been ‘fired’ in many respects through out his life. His greed, his faithlessness, his lack of any principles has let him down many times in his life. But these things don’t matter to him. He has no shame and he will try to bully his way back into another party even if the DPT kicks him out. It’s the DPT’s choice whether they want to have a scoundrel like him as their VP and become a party of scoundrels themselves or to better themselves and their reputation by kicking him out with immediate effect.

  42. i think just by kicking him out of DPT is not enough. he is a goon who deserves punishment as per the law of the country. he should surrender back all those land grabbed from innocent citizens. just by reading the news of this crook who could stoop so low burns me with anger from within.

  43. I dont think DPT will take the step forward as most of them including PM got involved in corruption and land case. Just ask your self why the Gyelposhing land case is burried?
    We just have to know that if any party specially PDP takes over the ruling govt than People like Chang Ugyen will get Punished and the Gyelposhing land case will come on surface where all the high profile will be hanged up side down

  44. I wanted to build two houses (1) above the YHSS in the green pine trees and (2) above the office of the NLC.
    Land replacement from my place in Kurtoe, Lhuntse. I am sure it is acceptable if it is acceptable to Chang Ugyen and influential family for the land above the YHSS and Lungten Zampa LSS. We are beginning to relaise there is no end to land grabbing by the influential family and people like Chang Ugyen

  45. Are we promoting corruption when NLC says the replacement can be made from four districts? Something seems to be going awry.  

  46. I am just curious to know as to why the land scam in Nanglam, which seems to be as huge as the Gyelpozhing land scam and the land grab case involving Chang Ugen and many others in Thimphu is not being investigated by this paper. Is it because that the illegal land grab in Nanglam road doe’s not lead to the door steps of the DPT, we can’t help but deduce that, that is the only reason this paper has not used their investigative skills to get to the truth of this story.

    I told you this paper is not to be trusted and that all their stories which they prefer to refer to as investigative journalism is only to somehow malign the DPT. And after all this crap, they have the audacity to question the government for not being fair on giving them advertisements.

    Lamsang, please shed some light on what I have written.

  47. Dear Monk. the more I read your comments, I sense you could be one of the party to the land scam at Gyeposhing and promoter of corruption who robbed the innoncent villagers by colluding with the influential family and rich people.

    At the same time, there is some elements of truth in monk, you (Tenzin Lamsang and his paper-The Bhutanese have not done anything on Khuruthang MSS football ground), if the corruption of the other side of the bank is also exposed, it will appear more balanced paper. But, otherwise we highly appreciate (The Bhutanese) in informing the people of Bhutan as it is a concern to everyone of us.

    • TL and theBhutanese will not investigate parties or people other than those related to this government. Even if he did, he will somehow analyse the problem with somebody in the government like he did for Phobjikha land scam. In fact I think in that land scam he blamed the public. 

  48. According to this paper, “The High Level Committee report of 2003 showed 45 cases of excess land being found registered within Thimphu from Chunzom to Pangrizampa and that 186.45 acres had to be returned by 48 individuals. By the year 2007, all the cases were completed except for ten including Chang Ugyen and others.”

    In Chang Ugen’s case, it has repeatedly been reported by this paper that he got it by illegal means, now I wonder if there is a legal way of getting excess land. It is obvious that all the 48 individuals that had to return land had got their’s illegally, so why has this paper not investigated as to how the 47 other individuals got their excess land or was the land miraculously registered in their names with no help from anyone in the land records office etc.

    So another example of biased reporting by this paper.

    • this paper is just doing fine. People who are on limelights, especially politics needs to to be displayed

  49. yah this paper is doing fine

  50. What is happening with the Chang Ugyen case? It is high time some answers are provided, it’s been quite a while since the report came out from the NLC.

    • We are waiting for ‘theBhutanese’ to name the five buyers who offer to replace land on behalf of Chang Ugyen. 

      • is that your best defense of Chang Ugyen? That others will also have to go jail with him? Seems like an acceptance of the fact that he’s guilty.

  51. Chang Ugyen ,a man who saw the loopholes in the system and dared to take advantage of it.
    So what is his crime? That he dared to overstep the boundaries? That of a commoner?

  52. Prior to Land Act, 2007 it would not have been possible singly to regularize registration of such big chunk of land without helping hands from officials with registration authority.

  53. Chang Ugyen has played politics and his rustic but very shrewd manipulations at every level has benefited him for a very long time ,to the extent he has even successfully played with the DPT leadership on his supposedly popular support from the common masses and gained for himself the post of the VP of the Party. Potentially, he is a trouble maker and has no substance and the moral ground to participate in the affairs of our nation. Infact, we should avoid such people in politics and leadership role in ordser to preempt disasterous consequences for the people and the nation.
    I believe, that the present land issue may not only be the skeletons in hiis closet if more digging is done. The fact that he has done what he has done and even has the balls to take the govt. to court proves how far the man can go. And go he has, for even the justice system has ignored this fact and has rewarded him by absolving the case against him without any crimnal charges; with just land subsitution and that also by the people to whom the land was sold.What a mockery of the justice system and how the leadership can manipulate to please and quieten potential trouble makers in their party.

  54. laws are framed only for innocent and poor people …

  55. my land is taken by govt for developmental purpose. I am asked to look for land in the same gewog where there is non. my request for subsitute land in the neighbouring gewog is denied by nlc because i am poor and not influential..
    but look at this chang ugyen,

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