Encroachment of 98 Kanals Forest Land by Sajjad Kichloo, others;RTI activist lodges contempt petition against IGP SVO, SSP VOJ

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: An RTI activist, Advocate Ankur Sharma on Tuesday filed a contempt petition in J&K State High Court seeking initiation of contempt of Court proceedings against Inspector General of Police, State Vigilance Organization (SVO) Alok Puri and Senior Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Organisation Jammu (VOJ) Shabir Ahmed Malik for intentional/deliberate defiance of the Supreme Court Judgment dated 12th November, 2013 passed in case titled Lalita Kumari versus Government of Uttar Pradesh and others.
The Advocate informed that the Apex Court has directed that a preliminary inquiry in a corruption case should not exceed 15 days, alleging that, the State Vigilance Organisation has failed to complete the inquiry into his complaint lodged on 8th June, 2016 wherein the complainant sought registration of FIR under Section 5(2) Prevention of Corruption Act read with the provisions of J&K Forest Act and J&K Forest Conservation Act against the officers of the Forest Department who facilitated the encroachment of forest land measuring 98 kanals 10 Marlas comprised in Khasra No.249 situated at Sunjwan, Jammu.
The complainant alleged that the land was under the illegal occupation of powerful encroachers namely Former Minister of State for Home (presently MLC-National Conference) Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, Nasir Ahmed Kichloo, Tanveer Ahmed Kichloo, Yasir Bashir Kichloo, all sons of Late Bashir Ahmed Kichloo; Mohammad, Ghulam Mohammad, sons of Wali Joo; Bashir Ahmed, son of Ghulam Qadir and Farida Begum, wife of Ghulam Hussain.
In the contempt petition filed by Advocate Ankur Sharma in person it has been alleged that the petitioner on June, 8, 2016 lodged a complaint before the State Vigilance Organization highlighting encroachment of forest land measuring 98 Kanals 10 Marlas comprised in Khasra No.249 situated at Village Sunjwan, District Jammu by a powerful land mafia in connivance with the officers/officials of the Forest Department and the major beneficiaries of the said encroachment is the Former Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and his three brothers who have raised palatial houses on the said Forest Land and the Forest Department became party to the said encroachment and did not take effective steps to remove the encroachment. The petitioner has further stated that in support of the complaint the petitioner also annexed a copy of the demarcation report dated 23rd January, 2008 duly prepared/countersigned by the Naib-Tehsildar Bahu and besides the petitioner also enclosed a copy of the Khasra Girdawari for the year 2007 reflecting the illegal possession/Kabza Najaiz of the influential encroachers.
It is also alleged in the contempt petition that the officers/officials of the Forest Department posted from time to time in Village Sunjwan facilitated the encroachment of the Forest Land and with the result massive concrete construction came up by the powerful land mafia on forest land measuring 98 Kanals and the major beneficiaries of the said grabbing are the sons of Late Bashir Ahmed Kichloo who himself remained the Forest Minister of the State during the regime of Dr. Farooq Abdullah. The petitioner has further stated that on spot huge residential houses have been constructed by sons of Late B.A. Kichloo and the officers/officials of the Forest Department preferred to be the mute spectators and did not stop the encroachers from encroaching the forest land.
The petitioner has further submitted that the Apex Court in its celebrated Judgment titled Lalita Kumari V/s Govt. of U.P. & Ors delivered on 12th November2013 held that a preliminary inquiry in a corruption case should not exceed 15 days. However in the instant case despite the expiry of six months the State Vigilance Organization has adopted criminal silence solely for the reason that the beneficiaries of the encroachment are highly influential political persons and have deep roots in the corridors of power and for this reason the State Vigilance Organization is sitting over the matter. The petitioner has further stated that SVO cannot be allowed to violate the mandate of law laid down by the Apex Court in a matter where prima facie case under Section 5(2) Prevention of Corruption Act is made out against the officers/officials of the Forest Department and the beneficiaries including Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and others.