Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against a former tehsildar, a former naib tehsildar, a patwari and others for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent attestation of 162 land mutations in Bijbehara between 2022 and 2024.
According to an ACB statement, the accused have been identified as the then Tehsildar Bijbehara Ghulam Rasool Bhat, the then Naib Tehsildar Bijbehara Fayaz Ahmad Wani, the concerned Patwari Ghulam Nabi Banday and others.
The case stems from a source-based complaint alleging that the officials, in connivance with others, illegally attested 162 land mutations involving around 1,050 kanals of land without execution of registered transfer deeds and without payment of the prescribed registration fee and stamp duty, allegedly causing substantial loss to the State exchequer.
The ACB said its verification, supported by reports of the Departmental Vigilance Officer (Revenue), departmental inquiry committees and expert opinion, revealed alleged violations of revenue laws and Standing Order 23-A. It further alleged that transactions shown as relinquishment deeds were, in fact, sale transactions structured to evade registration charges and stamp duty, with money allegedly routed through intermediaries and multiple bank accounts.
Based on the material collected during the verification, the ACB said it found a prima facie case of abuse of official position, criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct.
Accordingly, FIR No. 06/2026 was registered at Police Station ACB, Anantnag, under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code against the accused officials and others.
The ACB said simultaneous searches were conducted at the residences of the accused after obtaining search warrants from the Court of the Special Judge, ACB, Anantnag.
Further investigation into the case is underway, the statement added.
