Two Land Registration Corruption Cases Uncovered in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Law enforcement agencies in the Bukhara and Kashkadarya regions have uncovered two separate illegal payment schemes involving real estate registration and land title land cadastre documentation. Criminal cases have been initiated in both matters, and investigative actions are underway, according to the State Security Service.

In the Bukhara Region, a department head at the regional management office of the State Cadastre Chamber demanded US$2,500 from a local resident to register a 65-square-meter commercial and service property along with an adjacent 35-square-meter vacant lot.

The property in question had been unlawfully constructed in 2015 on land from the Romitan District khokimiyat reserve. According to law enforcement officials, the employee abused his official position to gain the citizen's trust before accepting the payment.

The official was caught red-handed with the physical evidence during an operation conducted by officers from the State Security Service, the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General's Office, and internal affairs agencies.

In the Kashkadarya Region, a chief specialist from the Kukdala District Department of Investment, Industry, and Trade demanded US$1,000 from a citizen born in 1964 to prepare and register cadastre documents for a 0.01-hectare (1 sotka) plot of land.

According to law enforcement, the land had been allocated to the citizen in 2019 by decision of the Chirakchi District khokim. The specialist promised to arrange the preparation and registration of the documents through contacts within the State Cadastre Chamber system.

State Security Service officers, alongside personnel from the Department for Combating Economic Crimes, detained the specialist while receiving the demanded funds.

Criminal proceedings have been opened in both cases, and investigations remain ongoing.