Srinagar , Dec 21 : The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a charge sheet against four revenue officials and a land broker for their alleged role in a major land fraud in the Balhama area of Srinagar.
According to officials, the charge sheet has been filed in FIR No. 08/2021 before the Court of the Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the RPC, read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The accused include then Tehsildar Settlement Srinagar Nusrat Aziz; then Tehsildar South Srinagar Shahbaz Bodha, currently posted as ACR Pulwama; then Patwari Estate Balhama Mohammad Yaseen Kalla; then Patwari Settlement Srinagar Ashiq Ali; and land broker Riyaz Ahmad Bhat of Nowgam, Srinagar.
Investigations revealed that the complainants had legally purchased two plots of land measuring 1 kanal and 7 marlas each, along with an additional 14½ marlas, in Balhama through registered sale deeds. Possession was handed over and valid mutations were duly attested in their favour.
However, the probe found that the accused, acting in criminal conspiracy, manipulated official land records and illegally cancelled the valid mutations. Ownership rights were fraudulently restored in favour of the seller, enabling the same land to be resold to other parties. This caused significant financial loss to the original purchasers while benefiting the accused.
Investigators also established that certain basic mutations were attested on pre-dated documents at a time when the concerned revenue officials were not even posted in the relevant jurisdiction.
Based on documentary evidence and official records collected during the investigation, the EOW concluded that sufficient material exists to establish the commission of cognisable offences. The case has now been placed before the court for judicial proceedings.
The Crime Branch reiterated its commitment to tackling corruption and protecting the property rights of citizens.
