Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has uncovered a major case of alleged revenue record manipulation in Sunjwan, Jammu, involving former revenue officials and private beneficiaries.
Acting on verified complaints of fraudulent land mutation, the Bureau has booked multiple accused, including a retired Naib Tehsildar, for allegedly conferring illegal ownership of over 80 kanals of land through misuse of official position and tampering of records, a statement issued by the ACB said,
ACB has registered a formal case (FIR No. 17/2025) under Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006, and Section 120-B RPC at Police Station ACB Jammu against the following: Aslam Din, then Tehsildar (Settlement) Jammu (now deceased), Mohd Iqbal Zargar, then Patwari Halqa Sunjwan (now retired as Naib Tehsildar), Beneficiaries Mohd Rashid, son of Imam Din, resident of Jalalabad Sunjwan, Jammu, Mohd Mushtaq, son of Bashir Ahmad, resident of Sunjwan, Jammu
Other unidentified beneficiaries.
The case stems from a verification process which found evidence of illegal and fraudulent tampering of revenue records belonging to the original owners, carried out to confer undue pecuniary benefits upon the beneficiaries and secure wrongful gains for the involved officials.
The probe revealed that Mutation No. 689/Jeem, covering land under Khasra Nos. 918, 970, 994, 1024, 1623 & 1623 min in Village Sunjwan, Tehsil Bahu, District Jammu, was attested on March 27, 2010, under Section 121 of the J&K Land Revenue Act by the then Tehsildar (Settlement) Jammu. As a result: 15 Kanals 14 Marlas were registered in the name of Mohd Rashid, 69 Kanals were registered in the name of Mohd Mushtaq and others.
The Financial Commissioner, Revenue J&K, vide order dated September 26, 2017, set aside the impugned mutation and directed restoration of the original entries as they existed prior to attestation. It was further noted that as per the Land Revenue Act, attestation under Section 121 could only be carried out by a Settlement Officer — a power exceeded by the Tehsildar in this case.
The mutation was entered by then Patwari Halqa Sunjwan, Mohd Iqbal Zargar, even though he was not posted in that Patwar Halqa at the time. It was also found that the same serial number (Mutation No. 689/Jeem) had already been used in the year 2008 for a different mutation in the same village, violating Para-9 of Standing Order No. 23-A.
The investigation is ongoing to identify the full extent of the conspiracy and any additional beneficiaries.
