Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 6: A case has been registered against four Government officials, including a former Deputy Commissioner (DC) and an Additional DC, besides others for allegedly helping in encroaching and transferring forest land in South Kashmir district of Shopian.
A State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) spokesperson today said a verification conducted by Vigilance Organization Kashmir (VOK) on the basis of news reports, revealed that the then Tehsildar Shopian has processed and placed 190 cases for vesting of ownership rights to the occupations of State land before committee chaired by the then Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ramzan Thakur on June 16, 2007.
“The committee approved only 17 cases out of 190 cases which included the case in respect of 10 Kanals 16 Marlas land under illegal occupation of former Minister and Congress leader Taj Mohi-ud-Din in Estate Sedow.
The verification revealed that the said land under the illegal occupation of Taj is basically forestland and belonged to the Forest Department, he said, adding verification has further revealed that the accused after the gap of almost two months from the date of approval on August 6, 2007 sought no objection certificate from the concerned Forest Department.
The Forest Department communicated their objection against the vesting of ownership rights in favour of beneficiary Din on forest land, he said.
However, he said the concerned Revenue officers instead of rejecting the case while considering the objection conveyed by Forest Department, asserted that the case stands already disposed off and the objections does not serve any purpose.
“Despite having the knowledge that the said land belonged to the Forest Department and in no way same can be processed for conferment of ownership rights under the provisions of J&K State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act 2001,” he said.
The SVO spokesperson said by acting in this manner, Thakur, Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Youf Zargar and Assistant Commissioner (R) Shopian Hafizullah Shah, then Tehsildar Shopian Ghulam Hasan Rather in connivance with other officers and official illegally conferred ownership rights upon the beneficiary over the land which belonged to the Forest department.
He said a case has been registered against all concerned officials and further investigation has been taken up.
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