Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat has come under scrutiny following revelations of a series of high-value property transactions, even as the Union Territory grapples with one of its deadliest in recent years.
Prabhat, a 1992-batch IPS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, took over as J&K’s top cop in October 2024. Just two months later, in December, he and his family acquired an eight-bigha plot of agricultural land in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, for ₹9.6 crore. The land, located in Phathi Baruah Kothi of Manali tehsil in Kullu district, was jointly registered in the names of his wife Poonam and son Ahaan. Records show a total transaction cost exceeding ₹10 crore, factoring in a stamp duty of ₹76 lakh and a registration fee of ₹19 lakh.
This purchase is part of a pattern. In 2023, while serving with the CRPF, Prabhat also acquired a luxury bungalow in Chandigarh’s elite Sector 5 area for ₹26.23 crore-believed to be one of the most expensive real estate deals by an IPS officer in recent times. The bungalow is jointly owned by Prabhat, his wife, and his son.
According to Prabhat’s disclosure to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Chandigarh property was financed through a transaction involving Vijay Bansal, a businessman based in Gulab Bagh, Uttam Nagar, West Delhi. Prabhat claims Bansal provided an advance in exchange for three agricultural plots in Zirakpur, Punjab, two of which were ancestral properties inherited from his grandfather D.S. Mohi.
While the timing of the transactions is raising eyebrows, the source of funds and the valuation methods have also prompted questions. Prabhat’s declaration cites a monthly government salary of ₹2,24,100, leaving gaps about how the crores-worth of transactions were arranged.
Further, Prabhat spent ₹1.8 crore in 2023 on renovations and additions to the Chandigarh bungalow. Additional property disclosures include:
- A ₹2.35 crore plot in Zirakpur gifted by his mother Archana Mohi in 2021.
- A ₹37-lakh flat in Motia’s Royal Oasis in Zirakpur, purchased in 2013.
- A ₹9-crore bungalow inherited from his father in 2015.
- A ₹25-lakh house in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
These revelations come amid national mourning and public outrage over the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which left 27 Indian tourists dead. The attack is widely believed to have been carried out by Pakistan-backed militants. The timing of these property disclosures, alongside the tragedy and Prabhat’s recent appointment as DGP, has intensified scrutiny.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has reportedly received full documentation of the transactions, as required for senior officers under central deputation, but the scale and timing of the purchases-especially amid heightened security concerns in Kashmir-have raised eyebrows within bureaucratic and political circles.
Prabhat, who was previously decorated with three Police Gallantry Medals and the Parakram Padak, has long been known for his expertise in counter-insurgency operations. He earlier headed Andhra Pradesh’s elite anti-Naxal Greyhounds and served in key postings in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, and with the CRPF and ITBP in Jammu and Kashmir.
He was appointed as J&K DGP in October 2024 following the retirement of his predecessor, R.R. Swain. His appointment was seen as a strategic move by the Centre, considering his experience with insurgency and terrorism. However, the latest revelations may cast a shadow over his tenure.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the Pahalgam terror probe, examining all angles including potential lapses in intelligence and preparedness.