Two Cabinet Ministers, MLC under scanner as 'common friend' grabs 200 kanals of prime land

TNN Bureau. Updated: 6/18/2017 11:21:41 PM Front Page

Following a secret verification matter put up before Chief Minister

SUMIT SHARMA

JAMMU: Two Ministers and a Member of the Legislative Council, all belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party are under scanner with the Chief Minister's office looking into allegations of their 'common friend' grabbing hundreds of kanals of state land in Baramulla district. A secret report prepared by one of the wings of Police was recently submitted to the office of Chief Secretary mentioning encroachment of 200 kanals of kacharai land in Pattan area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir. The report also mentioned that encroachment of state land by a powerful land dealer closely connected with three PDP leaders is causing unrest among the people and could be a cause of trouble if the issue was not addressed immediately.
The 'secret report' has reported to the Chief Secretary that a person namely Manzoor Ahmad Bhat of Singhpora, has constructed a two storey complex on the said land and has occupied around 160 Kanals. "It has been further reported that people of the area are planning to agitate on the issue and demanding that Government should either announce construction of cricket stadium or save the land from the illegal occupation of land brokers", said the report.
Chief Secretary BB Vyas is believed to have put up the report before the Chief Minister, since it involves two Ministers and a Legislator. Simultaneously, the Chief Secretary has also forwarded a copy of the report to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, to have the case verified.
The report has clearly mentioned name of two Ministers and an MLC -all three belonging to three different districts of North Kashmir. Several efforts were made to reach the Ministers but they didn't respond, therefore their names are not being mentioned at this stage.
However, when reached, the MLC candidly admitted that Manzoor Ahmed Bhat was his friend but he denied having business links with him. The MLC also admitted that he was aware of Bhat's land acquisitions but didn't know anything about the nature of land etc.
In the secret note, it reported that about 3000 Kanals of Kahcharie land located at Baliharan near National Highway which is generally called as "Bebdemb", Tehsil Pattan, District Baramulla, about 200 Kanals of land has been allegedly grabbed by some land brokers for selling the same in plots.


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