Jammu: The Crime Branch ogf police on Saturday filed a chargesheet against an accused for allegedly encroaching upon more than two-and-a-half kanals of state land in Rajouri district four years ago, an official said.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) filed the chargesheet against Yash Paul, a resident of Bhajwal village, in the Sunderbani Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class in the 2022 state land encroachment case, a spokesperson of the Crime Branch, Jammu, said.
He said the case was registered at the Crime Branch (EOW) police station on a written complaint lodged by Acharya Rajesh Kumar Prashar, alleging that Paul, in connivance with some revenue and forest officials, encroached on the state land.
During investigation, mutation no 4193 dated September 5, 2018 was found to have been attested in violation of government orders and was subsequently declared null and void ab initio (from the very start) by the Sunderbani additional deputy commissioner in December 2022, following quasi-judicial proceedings, the spokesperson said, adding that the mutation was cancelled from revenue records.
In this context, mutation refers to the official recording of a change in property ownership or title within government land revenue records.
The spokesperson further said the demarcation of the land in question was conducted by a team of revenue officials in presence of forest officials.
The demarcation report was submitted by the revenue officials and it was found that Paul encroached on state land measuring 2 kanal 11 marla (approximately 1,290 square metres) in Bhajwal village, according to the official.
On the basis of the evidence collected, he said the allegations were substantiated and the investigation was concluded with the filing of the chargesheet, along with the list of witnesses and seized documents for judicial determination.