Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 11: Shocking it may sound but it is a fact that State Government is showing reluctance in conducting inquiry into a land scam that too even after the explicit directions from the Division Bench of the High Court.
The alleged encroachment of State land measuring 20 kanals and 12 marlas situated at village Chatta, Sunjwan came to the notice of State Government through a complaint in the month of December 2007.
After hectic efforts by the complainant, the land scam attracted the attention of the State Government, which vide Order No.5-GAD of 2008 dated January 1, 2008 directed enquiry into the matter to be conducted by the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey.
However, the Inquiry Officer did not proceed with the enquiry on the ground that the Government Order No.5-GAD of 2008 was called in question in a petition filed by one of the partners of SRK Associates (alleged encroachers) and status quo directed to be maintained on the spot.
In the recent past, the scam was brought to the notice of State High Court, which sought Action Taken Report vide order dated August 5, 2014. After going through the status report filed by the Government, the DB made it clear that the order dated April 7, 2008 in petition titled Raj Kumar and Others Versus State of Jammu and Kashmir was not to stand in the way of the Inquiry Officer to proceed with the enquiry as it only directed the parties to maintain status quo on the spot.
Accordingly, the DB vide order dated September 10, 2014 directed the Secretary, General Administration Department to issue fresh order so that enquiry directed on August 5, 2014 commences without any further delay.
“Sudhanshu Pandey is reported to be on central deputation and one of the options available to the Secretary GAD is to direct the present Divisional Commissioner of Jammu to hold time bound enquiry into the matter with a direction to submit report within a reasonable timeframe”, reads the order issued by DB on September 10, 2014, adding “the order shall be issued within two weeks”.
However, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, when contacted, said that he has not received any order from the General Administration Department regarding inquiry into the alleged land scam of 2008.
“This clearly indicates that Government is reluctant to get inquiry conducted into the scam in order to shield the land grabbers”, sources said, adding “the non-serious approach of the Government towards the land scam despite explicit directions should be taken seriously especially in the light of the fact that several thousand kanals of State land is already under encroachment”.
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