Zamindars used a technique called ‘false sale’. It was a technique they used in the transfer and sale of the zamindaris.
For example, a Raja in Bardwan, transferred some of his zamidaris to his mother Zamindaris in the name of women were not to be confiscated for auction.
Sometimes zamindars used their agents when their zamindaris were auctioned. When their zamindaris were auctioned because of non-payment of taxes in time, the agents of the zamindar took part in the auction and offered the highest bids winning the zamindaris. But they would not pay. Again the zamindaris would be offered for auction. The Zamindars would again send their agents and this way the process would go on endlessly. The government and the others taking part in the auction would be tired at the end, and the government will be forced to give the lands back to the original zamindar for a small price. Such false auctions were rampant.
Zamindars also used force to prevent the transfer of their lands. If outsiders tried to get into the zamindaris, the zamindars would use goondas to prevent them from occupying the land. Sometimes farmers themselves prevented outsiders from entering their land. There were many farmers who were loyal to their zamindars. They considered themselves as the loyal subjects of the zamindar. The sale of the land by auction would wound their self-respect and so they tried to prevent outsiders from coming there by using all kinds of means.
