Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar,(DD): The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has uncovered another large-scale land scam, this time involving the illegal grabbing of Custodian land in the Asarwan, Mishriwala, and Bhalwal areas of Jammu district. Eight new FIRs have been registered against 27 individuals, including former revenue officials, for alleged involvement in the fraudulent transfer and sale of government land.
Officials said the investigation revealed that land mafia, in connivance with certain Form-Alf holders and officers of the Custodian and Revenue departments, had tampered with revenue records to facilitate the usurpation of land. This property, meant for displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), was fraudulently mutated and later sold to private buyers.
Earlier verification had already exposed over 600 kanals of Custodian land allotted to displaced persons through fraudulent means, leading to the registration of 16 FIRs in previous cases. In the latest probe, ACB found that in several instances, even family members of already-benefited displaced persons—who were not entitled to additional allotments—managed to get extra land mutated in their names using fake or non-existent government orders.
According to officials, the fraud involved attestation of mutations without any official approval or based on forged orders. The beneficiaries then sold the land directly or through attorneys to various buyers, causing significant losses to the government exchequer.
The accused include several former Patwaris, Girdawars, Naib Tehsildars, and Tehsildars, along with private individuals. The offences have been registered under the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and relevant sections of the RPC for criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and fraud.
The investigation is ongoing, and ACB has indicated more arrests and recoveries could follow(DD)
