High-Level Officials Indicted in Major Land Fraud Case in Kashmir

The Economic Offences Wing in Jammu and Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against five individuals, including high-ranking revenue officials, for their involvement in a land fraud case. The accused manipulated land records to resell the same pieces of land, causing significant losses to the original buyers.

In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Economic Offences Wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Crime Branch has initiated legal proceedings against five individuals implicated in a massive land fraud case. Among those charged are two senior revenue officials. The chargesheet was filed under multiple sections of the RPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The accused, including then-tehsildars Nusrat Aziz and Shahbaz Bodha, allegedly conspired with Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, a land broker, to manipulate land records and cancel valid mutations legally held by complainants. This conspiracy allowed the resale of the disputed land to multiple parties, consequently defrauding the original buyers.

Investigations revealed that fraudulent activities commenced when official records were manipulated to illegally annul the mutations in favor of the land broker, paving the way for resale. Notably, some mutations were approved even before the concerned officials were assigned to the relevant jurisdiction, further highlighting the depth of the malpractice.