4 govt officials among eight chargesheeted in land fraud case in Srinagar

The Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against eight accused persons, including four government officials, in a major land fraud case here, the agency said on Friday.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir (CBK) filed the chargesheet in connection with the land fraud case, a CBK spokesman said.

The chargesheet has been submitted before the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court in Srinagar against eight accused individuals, including four revenue officials -- three retired and one serving -- involved in fraudulent occupation and manipulation of land records by misusing their official positions.

The case originated from a complaint alleging that Nadeem Ahmad Mayer and Shafiq Ahmad Mayer -- both residents of Iqbal Colony -- ''illegally encroached'' upon 52 kanals of land at Ehel Danihama by fabricating revenue records, the spokesman said.

''Fake and forged mutations were executed under the guise of an oral gift (Hiba Zabani) from the complainant's uncle, despite no lawful or familial basis,'' he added.

The investigation revealed multiple irregularities, including the absence of official mutation record, missing treasury voucher numbers and dates, and unauthorised mutation by only one co-owner, disregarding the rights of the other, the spokesman sad.

Additionally, he said, 40 kanals of state land were also found illegally occupied.

The fraud was allegedly committed in active connivance with revenue officials, who played a key role in manipulating records and circumventing legal procedures, the CBK said.

Those chargesheeted include Nadeem Ahmad Mayer, Irfan Ahmad Mayer, Abdul Hamid Kathu, Ghulam Jeelani Rather, Ali Mohammad Dar, Nazir Ahmad Palla and Bilal Ahmad Dar, he said.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the RPC, read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the CBK spokesman said.