Srinagar: The Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch Kashmir (CBK) has filed a chargesheet in a major land fraud case involving large-scale manipulation of revenue records and illegal land occupation in Srinagar. The chargesheet, linked to FIR No. 23/2019, has been submitted before the Court of the Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, against eight accused individuals, including four revenue officials, three retired and one still in service.
The case was initiated following a complaint that accused Nadeem Ahmad Mayer and Shafiq Ahmad Mayer of Iqbal Colony, Shalteng Srinagar, of encroaching upon 52 kanals of land at Ehel Danihama by fabricating revenue documents. The accused had allegedly executed multiple fake mutations—bearing numbers 13, 16, 17, 18, 30, 31, and 34—under the pretext of an oral gift (Hiba Zabani) from the complainant’s uncle, even though no such relationship or consent existed.
Investigations by the Economic Offences Wing revealed serious irregularities in the land records. Officials found that original government mutation records (Parti Sarkar) were missing, treasury voucher numbers and dates were deliberately omitted, and mutations were processed illegally by one co-owner without considering the rights of the others. It also emerged that around 40 kanals of State land were encroached upon as part of the fraudulent operation.
Police said the land fraud was orchestrated in active connivance with revenue officials who misused their positions to manipulate and conceal official records, enabling the illegal occupation.
Those named in the chargesheet include Nadeem Ahmad Mayer, son of Shafiq Ahmad Mayer, and Irfan Ahmad Mayer, both residents of Iqbal Colony Shalteng; Abdul Hamid Kathu, son of Ali Mohammad Kathu of Astanpora Tailbal (then Patwari, now retired); Ghulam Jeelani Rather, son of late Abdul Salam Rather of Dara Harwan (then Patwari); Ali Mohammad Dar (then Patwari, now retired); Nazir Ahmad Palla, son of Ghulam Ahmad Palla of Chandpora Harwan; and Bilal Ahmad Dar, son of Abdul Gani Dar of Mufti Bagh Harwan, presently residing at New Theed Srinagar.
The accused have been booked under Sections 420, 447-A, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code, read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
A spokesperson of Crime Branch Kashmir said the department remains committed to upholding the law and ensuring accountability in cases of corruption and fraud. Further legal proceedings are underway. [KNT]
