Budgam man alleges land grab, seeks governor’s help
Budgam, Sep 07: Wearing a string bag with different documents inside it, a man in mid-thirties has been visiting concerned authorities, repeatedly, for demanding justice, however, in front of his rivals, who according to him have money and muscle power, his pleas are being ignored.
He told ‘Kashmir Images’ that in the fight of retrieving his land located at Goripora Zandwan in Beerwah sub-district here; he had to sell a large portion of his property and spent around 5 lakh rupees. But till date, justice continues to elude him.
Mohammad Shafi Malik, a resident of Kandoora village of Beerwah claimed that his four kanals and two marlas of land (Walnut orchard) under Khasra number 1244/805 were grabbed by a resident of his neighbouring Mohallah in connivance with revenue officials.
Shafi said that he came to know about the land grab in 2017, when Power Development Department (PDD) felled his 40 walnut trees while laying transmission line over his land. He went to get compensation but was stopped by the family of Fatah Malik (Who’s now claiming right over land) saying they are the owners of the orchard.
“It came as a shock for me. I didn’t know how to react. Later, I wrote to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to direct PDD to stop release of compensation till the final settlement is made,” Shafi said.
Shafi claims that he possesses all the original documents of the land and land grabbers have made bogus documents in collaboration with the Tehsildar and Patwari (Not present Tehsildar and Patwari).
It all started in 2007, as per him, due to financial hardships, he sold walnut crop to a person namely Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Mir (Now deceased) for 10 years. “In these 10 years all the revenue records were manipulated as Mir sold my land to Bashir Ahmad of Srinagar without my knowledge, later Bashir got it mutated in the name of his sister Fatima Kant. Further, the land was sold to Fatah Malik of Kandoora Beerwah.”
Significantly, Shafi said the opponents’ story is that his father (Ghulam Ahmad Malik) had sold walnut orchard way back in 1995. The mutation registry also shows Ghulam Ahmad Malik sold property in 1995. However, he died a year earlier. Shafi has a death certificate issued by government which also mentions his father passed away in 1994.
“There are no signatures of my father on the fake documents. He died in 1994. How can he come out of his grave and sell his land in 1995?”
Besides death certificate, Shafi asserted that he has another strong point to claim his right over the grabbed land. He has a vital document ‘Intikhab Khasra Girdawari’ dated 2007, which reads that the owner of said land under Khasra number 1244/ 805 is Ghulam Ahmad Malik.
“If the revenue record of 2007 clearly shows my father is the owner of walnut orchard, why Tehsildar Beerwah (Present one) and other officials are not taking action against Fatah Malik?”
He accused Tehsildar Beerwah of taking ‘bribe’ from the family of Fatah Malik. Notably, despite court stay, Shafi said, “Illegal owners are also constructing house on the land and Tehsildar isn’t stopping the work.”
When contacted, Tehsildar Peer Zahid Ahmad said, “He (Shafi) is making allegations, he doesn’t have any documents. Also, his case is sub-judice, let the appropriate authority decide, we will implement the court order accordingly.” About 2007 document which Shafi claims is authentic, Tehsildar said he has no information.
Meanwhile, Besides Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, Shafi requested the Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik for help.
“I went from pillar to post, but every official rejected my pleas. Now, I request governor sahab to help me in retrieving my land and take serious action against those who have manipulated the revenue records.”
