JAMMU: A Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Tashi Rabstan on Tuesday directed Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jammu and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jammu to conduct joint demarcation and file status report in the petition filed by Advocate Ankur Sharma seeking registration of FIR against Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Abdul Gani Kohli and others for allegedly encroaching 10 Kanals of Forest Land at Nowabad Sunjwan where the said Cabinet Minister is stated to have raised a huge educational complex comprising B.Ed College, ETT College, B.N Para Medical School, B.N Public School, ATM and Branch of J&K Bank, failing which the DC Jammu and DFO Jammu will remain present in the court.
While passing above mentioned directions, the Division Bench observed that in the status report filed by the Vigilance Department, it is stated that the DC, Jammu by letter dated 21st January 2017 directed the DFO, Jammu to approach Tehsildar Bahu who shall extend his services and the Divisional Forest Officer had also addressed a letter on 28th January 2017 to the Tehsildar Bahu and both the departments constituted a committee and joint inspection/demarcation of the area would be made.
Consequently, Deputy Advocate General Ehsan Mirza appearing for the State sought two weeks’ time to conduct the joint inspection.
Upon this, the Division Bench granted two weeks’ time for joint demarcation and asked the aforesaid officials to file report and also directed that if they failed to file report, DC, Jammu as well as DFO Jammu shall appear in person on the next date.