LUCKNOW, Aug. 31 -- Nearly two years before he was allegedly abducted and killed, property dealer Dhirendra Pratap Singh had written to chief minister Yogi Adityanath alleging a land-mafia nexus with officials in Unnao's Bangarmau tehsil and seeking a high-level probe and action against those involved. Now, as police investigate whether a property dispute led to his murder, the November 2024 complaint has emerged as a possible motive trail.

Hindustan Times has accessed a copy of the representation in which Singh, chairman of the Maharana Pratap Charitable Foundation, sought a time-bound inquiry into alleged encroachments and irregularities involving land parcels in Bangarmau.

Singh alleged illegal possession of pond and category-3 land,...