Custodian land 'grab' case: Incriminating documents, digital evidence seized in Jammu, says ED

Jammu, Aug 25: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday said it has seized various incriminating documents and digital devices during recent raids at multiple locations here against some revenue department officials as part of a money laundering probe linked to alleged grabbing of custodian land.

At least nine locations in Jammu and one in Udhampur were raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Friday, the agency said.

"The ED conducted the search operations in the case of illegal grabbing of 502.5 kanals (62.8 acres) of custodian land involving various patwaris, tehsildars, middlemen and land grabbers.

"During the searches, various incriminating documents relating to assets, revenue records and digital evidence were seized," the agency said in a post on X.

Locations linked to patwari-rank officials Pranav Dev Singh and Rahul Kai and naib tehsildar Akeel Ahmed and some others are being covered in the case of alleged land grabbing and corruption related to custodian land (belonging to evacuees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) in Jammu since 2022, official sources said.

The money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Jammu and Kashmir Police.