Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 1: The State Vigilance Commission, while reviewing progress in investigation of a land scam case, has asked the Revenue Department to ensure early demarcation of the State land at Chaterhama, Harwan, Srinagar, encroached by private persons allegedly in connivance with Revenue officials.
The Commission has also directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to ensure removal of encroachments from the said land and submit action taken report to the Commission within 15 days. Besides, the SVC has directed the Director Vigilance Organization to expedite investigation in the matter so that all culprits, including Revenue officials and private individuals, involved in the scam, are identified and booked under relevant provisions of law.
Earlier, the Director Vigilance Organization (VO) had received a complaint alleging therein that 1200 kanals of State land at village Chaterhama, Harwan, Srinagar bearing khasra Nos 1096, 1097 and 1088, was sold by some land brokers in connivance and active support of Revenue officials, especially Ghulam Rasool Hajam, then Patwari of Patwar Halqa Chaterhama, who also facilitated illegal mutations of State Land. On this complaint, VO ordered urgent enquiry in the matter asking Tehsildar to conduct on-the-spot verification, demarcation and prevent further encroachment and illegal constructions on the said land.
The verification report established the allegations of encroachment and illegal constructions .The matter was also brought into notice of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, who had asked Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal to get the matter enquired.
The enquiry reports submitted by the Deputy Commissioners substantiated the allegations and prima-facia revealed that land under khasra Nos 1096, 1097and 1088 at village Chaterhama, Harwan has been deformed and given the shape of plots by land brokers with connivance, active support and knowledge of Revenue officials, who not only facilitated the illegal sale of State land but also made mutations of about 400 kanals fraudulently in the Revenue records. The report further mentioned that occupants have also managed registration of the sale deeds fraudulently on the basis of extracts provided by then Patwari Ghulam Rasool Hajam of Patwar Halqa Cheterhama, by abusing his official position, thereby causing huge losses to the State Exchequer.
Observing the gravity of the scam, the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir ordered for cancelation of all said mutations.
Follow our WhatsApp channel