MS Dhoni faces Housing Board probe over alleged residential land misuse in Ranchi

Legendary Indian skipper MS Dhoni has recently been involved in a controversy in his hometown, Ranchi. The Jharkhand State Housing Board has investigated allegations that Dhoni’s Harmu Road residence, originally allocated as a residential plot, is being used for commercial purposes. 

The plot in Ranchi’s upscale Harmu Housing Colony was gifted to Dhoni by the Jharkhand government during Arjun Munda's tenure as Chief Minister. Spanning approximately 10,000 square feet, the land was awarded in recognition of Dhoni’s achievements in cricket. A luxurious residence was built on the site, which Dhoni and his family occupied before moving to a farmhouse in Simaliya on the city’s outskirts to ensure privacy.

Some reports surfaced recently of a diagnostic centre being planned at the Harmu Road property, pushing the Housing Board to launch a formal probe. Allegedly, a signboard for the pathology centre had been installed but was later hidden with a green cloth.

Not first time Dhoni's Ranchi residence in question

This raised suspicions and triggered an inquiry into whether the residential plot is being used in compliance with the Housing Board’s regulations, which explicitly prohibit commercial activities on residential land. Housing Board Chairman Sanjay Lal Paswan has clarified that any change from the intended use of residential plots constitutes a violation of the rules.

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"We have received complaints and instructed officials to investigate. If the allegations are proven, a notice will be issued to Dhoni," Paswan was quoted as saying by Times of India (TOI) newspaper.

This is not the first time the former skipper's Harmu property has come under question. In 2015, the board raised inquiries about an additional adjacent plot allegedly acquired illegally. That controversy was eventually resolved, but the current allegations have revived concerns about the property’s usage.

Notably, the Housing Board has taken similar action against approximately 300 other property owners for converting residential plots into commercial establishments. Even the state BJP office in the same locality has faced notices for similar violations. Officials have been directed to cancel allotments if unauthorized activities are confirmed.