Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau has unearthed a major land scam involving large-scale illegal occupation and sale of Custodian land in Jammu district, registering multiple FIRs against revenue officials, land grabbers, conduits, and beneficiaries.
According to officials, Custodian land spread over thousands of kanals in Asarwan, Mishriwala, Bhalwal and R.S. Pura areas was allegedly usurped by a nexus of land mafia, Form Alaf holders and officials of the Revenue and Custodian departments. Inputs suggested that revenue records were tampered with and the land was subsequently sold to various individuals through fraudulent means.
Acting on these inputs, the ACB initiated a verification which revealed that more than 1,000 kanals of Custodian land had been shown as allotted to displaced persons on the basis of fake orders. Investigations found that many beneficiaries were not entitled to such allotments and had obtained land through fraudulent means in connivance with officials and intermediaries.
Based on these findings, the ACB earlier registered 24 FIRs, with investigations still underway.
Further verification brought to light that displaced persons from Pakistan/PoK, who had already been allotted land, were again shown as beneficiaries through their relatives, who were not entitled to additional allotments. These Form Alaf holders, in alleged connivance with Patwaris, Girdawars, Naib Tehsildars and Tehsildars, managed to get mutations of additional land attested in their favour in R.S. Pura and Domana, either without any government or Provisional Rehabilitation Office (PRO) orders or on the basis of fake documents.
Officials said no such allotment orders were issued by the PRO. After securing mutations, the accused allegedly sold or transferred the land directly or through attorney holders and conduits, causing substantial loss to the government exchequer.
In a fresh development, the ACB has registered three more FIRs at Police Station ACB Central J&K after establishing a prima facie nexus in the fraudulent alienation of about 20 kanals and 9 marlas of Custodian land.
The cases have been registered under provisions of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, along with charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and fraud.
Among those named in the FIRs are Waryam Singh (then Patwari), Balak Ram (then Naib Tehsildar), Mohan Singh, Prem Singh (then Patwari), Bharat Bushan Mehra, Rahul Kai (then Patwari), Saqib Saleem (then Tehsildar), Sat Pal and others.
The ACB said further investigation is in progress to identify the full extent of the scam and the involvement of additional accused.
