Srinagar, July 9 (NVI): The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday registered a case against a former Tehsildar of Bijbehara, a former Naib Tehsildar, a Patwari and others for their alleged involvement in an illegal land mutation scam involving around 1,050 kanals of land.
An ACB spokesperson said the case pertains to the alleged fraudulent attestation of 162 land mutations in Bijbehara tehsil between 2022 and 2024.
According to the ACB, the accused officials, in connivance with others, allegedly attested the mutations without execution of registered transfer deeds and without payment of the prescribed registration fee and stamp duty, resulting in substantial loss to the State exchequer.
The spokesperson said an inquiry conducted by the ACB, supported by reports of the Departmental Vigilance Officer (Revenue), departmental inquiry committees and expert opinion, found gross violations of revenue laws and Standing Order 23-A.
The inquiry further revealed that the so-called relinquishment deeds were allegedly sale transactions disguised to evade registration and stamp duty, while money was routed through intermediaries and multiple bank accounts to conceal the transactions.
Based on the evidence collected, the ACB said a prima facie case of abuse of official position, criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct has been established.
Accordingly, FIR No. 06/2026 was registered at ACB Police Station, Anantnag, under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code against the accused officials and others.
The ACB said simultaneous searches were carried out at the residences of the accused after obtaining search warrants from the Special Judge, ACB, Anantnag.
Further investigation into the case is underway.—(NVI)
