1200 kanals land scam unearthed at Harwan;SVC asks Vigilance to expedite investigation, book perpetrators

 STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: State Vigilance Commission while reviewing the progress in the investigation of FIR 31/2012 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 this patch of land and submit action taken report within 15 days.
Earlier, Director Vigilance Organization (VO), after receiving a complaint alleging therein that 1200 Kanals of State land at village Chaterhama, Harwan, Srinagar bearing Khasra Nos.1096,1097 and 1088, has been sold by some land brokers in connivance and active support of Revenue officials, especially Ghulam Rasool Hajam, the then Patwari of Patwari Halqa Chaterhama, who also facilitated illegal mutations of State Land, ordered urgent enquiry in the matter asking Tehsildar to conduct on-the-spot verification, demarcation and prevent further encroachment and illegal constructions on the land.
The verification report established the allegations of encroachment and illegal constructions. The matter was also brought to notice of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, who had asked Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar and Ganderbal to get the matter enquired.
The enquiry reports submitted by the Deputy Commissioners substantiated the allegations and prima-facia revealed that the land chunk 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, has ordered for cancelation of all related mutations.
Taking serious notice of the matter, the State Vigilance Commission directed the Director Vigilance Organisation to expedite inquiry/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.