Jammu: In a major breakthrough against alleged land fraud, the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has unearthed another major scam involving Custodian land in Jammu district and registered three fresh FIRs against revenue officials, alleged land grabbers, conduits and beneficiaries.
According to ACB, Custodian land spread across Asarwan, Mishriwala, Bhalwal and R.S. Pura was allegedly usurped by a land mafia in connivance with Form Alaf holders and officials of the Custodian and Revenue departments through fraudulent mutations and fake allotment orders.
The bureau said earlier verification had already revealed more than 1,000 kanals of Custodian land were allegedly shown allotted to displaced persons on the basis of fake orders, leading to registration of 24 FIRs, investigations into which are underway.
During further verification, ACB found that even families already allotted land as displaced persons allegedly secured additional land in R.S. Pura and Domana through fraudulent mutations, either without government or Provisional Rehabilitation Office (PRO) orders or on forged documents, and later alienated the land to various persons, causing huge loss to the government exchequer.
Following fresh findings regarding alleged fraudulent alienation of about 20 kanals and 9 marlas of Custodian land, ACB has now registered three more FIRs at Police Station ACB Central J&K under provisions related to the Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and fraud.
Among those named in the FIRs are several former revenue officials, including patwaris, naib tehsildars and a tehsildar, along with alleged beneficiaries and other accused.
The ACB said investigations are underway to probe the wider nexus involving revenue officials, land grabbers and beneficiaries in what is emerging as a major Custodian land scam in Jammu.
