ACB registers FIR in Jammu land grab case

After an investigation into a land scam in Jammu, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has found another 40 kanals of land, which was occupied by land grabbers in collusion with the Revenue Department officials.

The land belonged to the Custodian and was usurped by land mafia in Jammu. The ACB had earlier unearthed the land scam involving more than 500 kanals of Custodian land, in respect of which 15 FIRs have already been registered for investigation.

An ACB official informed that inputs were received that large chunk of Custodian land situated in Asarwan, Mishriwala and Bhalwal Jammu has been fraudulently grabbed by land mafia in connivance with the Revenue and police officials. The revenue records have been tampered and the land has been sold to various persons.

“ACB conducted a formal verification wherein it was found that in furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, FORM 3-A (Form Alf) along with power of attorneys (POAs) were obtained from various POK refugees, alluring them of additional lands and providing them instant money by the conduits of land grabbers after which the land records were manipulated by the officials of the Revenue and Custodian department, by sheer abuse of their official positions,” the official informed.

These lands were then sold by the conduits and attorney holders to various persons including their own gang leaders and members, by resorting to fraudulent means, thereby causing a huge loss to the government exchequer, the official said. Custodian land refers to the properties left behind by the members of Muslim community who chose to shift to Pakistan after Partition.

“Owing to the establishment of, prima facie, nexus of the land grabbers and the Revenue and Custodian officials in alienation of Custodian land through fraudulent means, ACB has registered formal case for investigation under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery,” the official said.

Seven officials of Revenue and Custodian department have been booked in the case.

“During the course of investigation, after obtaining the search warrant from the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu, search teams, comprising ACB officers, independent witnesses, magistrates were dispatched to around six locations throughout Jammu and its adjoining areas,” the official said.