The Crime Branch (CB) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police has initiated a comprehensive inquiry into the substantial misplacement of a significant volume of files associated with various residential colonies and commercial complexes administered by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA). They have requested pertinent information from the responsible officers to aid their investigation. Furthermore, they have called upon the recipients of residential plots and commercial properties to assist in resolving this intricate issue and ascertaining accountability.
A dire situation has arisen due to the inability to locate a multitude of files within the JDA office. Given the current market value of land in Jammu and its vicinity, it appears to be a colossal and potentially fraudulent event with far-reaching consequences that are nearly unfathomable. All the plots that were allocated by the JDA over time have been on lease, with many of the original allottees remaining untraceable. In this scenario, the process of transferring and registering the property when it’s sold to new owners remains incomplete due to the absence of original documents. Despite substantial expenditures, property owners are subjected to numerous fruitless visits to the JDA office, resulting in significant economic losses and wasted time.
Astonishingly, the JDA has not adhered to any established procedure for maintaining a file repository. Even though computers have been around since the early 1980s, there has been no effort to digitise the records. Proper handovers and takeovers are standard practices in every department, but despite decades of existence and the transfer and retirement of numerous sector- and area-wise officers, no one noticed or reported the missing files in JDA. Every department typically maintains a proper register for the entries of files, complete with the names, designations, and signatures of officials taking out files from the repository for various works. However, apparently, this fundamental office practice was absent in the JDA’s operations. The current result is that the inquiry committee has been unable to assign responsibility for the disappearance of official files.
The missing files are not isolated incidents involving one or two files or from a single specific area; rather, they encompass numerous files of various locations. It is glaringly obvious that a vast network of land mafia has been operating, may be, with the involvement of many officials in this complex web. The Housing and Urban Development Department has wisely initiated a comprehensive Crime Branch inquiry to unveil the truth. In the modern digital age, cracking such cases should not be arduous, as digital footprints likely exist. A focused, time-bound investigation is imperative to bring the culprits to justice. On its part, the JDA has correctly established a committee to reconstruct the missing files. This will be an onerous task, but it seems to be the only viable course of action at this juncture. However, in the absence of proper official records, the situation is gravely precarious on legal grounds, especially when the original allottees are no longer alive. Counterclaims can lead to protracted litigation.
Once the Crime Branch successfully dismantles this nefarious network, the Government should promptly take action against the implicated officials. The entire episode has cast a substantial shadow of doubt over the JDA. The development of Jammu may face adverse consequences under the current circumstances, potentially leading to halted progress. All vulnerabilities must be addressed, and complete digitization of records and public engagement must be implemented without delay.
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