CB registers case against Revenue officials in Ramban land acquisition irregularities

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: The Crime Branch (CB) Jammu has registered a criminal case against officers and officials of the Revenue Department in Ramban for their alleged involvement in serious irregularities in land acquisition cases related to the district.
According to officials, the action was initiated after a written communication was received from the Deputy Commissioner Office Ramban through Crime Headquarters Jammu and Kashmir, seeking investigation into the matter and legal action against those found involved in the alleged irregularities.
A senior Crime Branch official stated that preliminary information suggests that certain individuals, in alleged collusion with revenue officials, manipulated revenue records to claim compensation for land that was actually recorded as State land owned by the government.
“The communication received indicated serious discrepancies in revenue records. Some private individuals were shown as possessors of government land in official documents such as the Field Book and Apportionment Statements, which raises serious questions about the legality and authenticity of the compensation claims,” the official said.
Officials further said that the land in question is officially recorded as State land under the lawful ownership and possession of the government. However, the alleged manipulation of records enabled private persons to seek compensation in land acquisition cases, resulting in potential financial loss to the state exchequer.
“Such entries in the revenue record appear to have been made without legal basis. If proven, these actions would amount to fraudulent attempts to obtain compensation from the government for land that does not belong to the claimants,” the Crime Branch official added.
During the preliminary examination of records, authorities identified 20 land acquisition cases involving alleged irregular compensation claims related to State land in Ramban district. According to officials, the total land involved in these cases measures approximately 327 Kanal and 9 Marla.
The compensation amount claimed or reportedly awarded in these cases is estimated to be around Rs 8.57 crore, which has raised serious concerns about misuse of public funds.
“The matter involves a significant amount of public money and possible manipulation of official records. Therefore, a detailed investigation is necessary to identify the role of officials and other individuals involved,” the official said.
Based on the contents of the communication and preliminary findings, the Crime Branch has registered a First Information Report (FIR) under sections 420, 465, 468 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) along with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Police Station of the Crime Branch (Economic Offences Wing) in Jammu.
To ensure a comprehensive investigation, the Crime Branch has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter in detail.
Officials said the SIT will examine revenue records, compensation documents and other related material to determine how the alleged manipulation took place and to identify all persons responsible for the irregularities.
“The investigation will be conducted thoroughly and impartially. Any official or individual found involved in manipulation of records or fraudulent compensation claims will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law,” the Crime Branch official stated.
Authorities have indicated that further details will emerge as the investigation progresses.