ACB unearths Custodian land scam in Jammu district

Jammu, Sep 11: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Jammu Wednesday unearthed another major land scam  wherein around “310 kanal of Custodian land in Asarwan, Mishriwala and Bhalwal area of Jammu district found usurped by the land mafia in connivance with the officers and officials of Custodian, Revenue and Police departments.”

Earlier, the ACB had unearthed a land scam, involving around 210 kanal of Custodian land, in respect of which 5 FIRs were registered.

An ACB spokesperson said, “While continuing its tirade against the unholy nexus of revenue officers and land mafia, J&K Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) achieved yet another major success in unearthing a land scam. Inputs were received that Custodian land in thousands of Kanal situated at Asarwan, Mishriwala and Bhalwal Jammu, has been fraudulently grabbed by the land grabbers and gangsters in connivance with the Revenue and police officers and officials. The revenue records have been tempered and land has been sold to various persons.”

ACB conducted a formal verification wherein it was found that in furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, Form 3-A (Form Alf) along with Power of Attorneys (PoAs) were obtained from various PoK refugees, alluring them of additional lands and providing them instant money ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 50,000 by the conduits of land grabbers.

Thereafter insertions or additions regarding additional chunks of custodian lands were made in the revenue records by the officials and officers of the Revenue and Custodian departments, by sheer abuse of their official positions. These lands were sold by the conduits and attorney holders to various persons including their gang leaders and members, by resorting to fraudulent means, thereby causing a huge loss to the government, the spokesperson said.

“Owing to the establishment of, prima facie, nexus of the criminal elements and land grabbers and the Revenue, Custodian officers and officials in the alienation of Custodian land through fraudulent means, ACB has registered 10 formal case FIRs in PS ACB Central for investigation under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and fraud,” Spokesperson said.

During the investigation, after obtaining the search warrants from the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu, search teams comprising ACB officers, independent witnesses, and Magistrates were dispatched to around twelve locations throughout Jammu and its adjoining areas.

“In addition to 10 FIRs registered, verification is still in progress to unearth the remaining usurped custodian land by land mafia in connivance with officers and officials of Revenue, Police and Custodian departments,” he said.