*JMC gave permission without jurisdiction
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 12: The PDP-BJP Government has uncovered what could be major scam in construction of flats on 13 floors at Narwal Bala on the outskirts of Jammu, which were being constructed among others by former Finance Minister and National Conference leader Abdul Rahim Rather’s son. An inquiry has already been ordered into the scam and with sensational revelations pouring in, the Government could soon lodge First Information Report (FIR) and hand over the case to the Vigilance Organisation or the Crime Branch.
Official sources told the Excelsior that it has so far been established during the ongoing inquiry that a National Conference loyalist officer, then posted as Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Commissioner, who had taken retirement soon after PDP-BJP Government was formed, had given No Objection Certificate (NOC) for construction of flats named `Paradise Avenues’ at Narwal Bala even as the site of construction didn’t fall within the limits of the JMC.
“The permission for construction of flats at the land, whose title was also under dispute and being verified, was given on December 18, 2013 by then JMC Commissioner Kiran Wattal. Significantly, Abdul Rahim Rather was then Finance Minister of the State in the then National Conference-Congress coalition Government,” they said.
The permission had been given for construction of ‘Paradise Avenues’ on 13 floors (each floor having 1827.67 square meters area) to GM Bhat and Others C/o Simula Global Group of Companies at Khasra No. 260 at Narwal Bala on the outskirts of Jammu by the then JMC Commissioner even as former Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) had clearly stated that the land was ‘khud’ that had been transferred to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA). One floor had extra construction of 609.2 square meters.
According to sources, the records scrutinized by the Government so far, revealed that then Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) and then Assistant Commissioner (Nazool) had refused to give permission for construction of flats at Narwal Bala. Despite this, then JMC Commissioner gave No Objection Certificate to the Company for construction of flats as among five promoters of Simula Global Group of Companies, one of them was Hillal Rather, son of then Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather.
Surprisingly, sources said, the JMC gave permission for construction of the flats even as Narwal Bala didn’t fall within the jurisdiction of the Jammu Municipal Corporation. In the areas, which didn’t fall within the JMC limits, the construction permission is given by the Block Development and Revenue authorities.
“This was a gross violation of all rules and norms, which seems to have been committed by the JMC authorities only to oblige the then ruling dispensation in which one of the promoters was son of a powerful Minister,” sources pointed out.
Quoting report of the former Assistant Commissioner (Nazool), sources said he had clearly started that as per the property register, 99.13 kanals of land at Khasra No. 260 situated at Narwal Bala was a `khud’, which had subsequently been transferred to the JDA. The Company didn’t seek any permission from the JDA. Constructions over the ‘khud’ had already been banned.
“No construction can be raised at the khud,” sources said but added that all these aspects were overlooked by the then authorities at the helm of affairs to give go ahead for construction of flats.
Inquiries by the Government revealed that one of the promoters was simply a housewife, who happened to be spouse of a very low ranking official. On her name, investments worth Rs 1.5 crores have been shown for which the Government is in the process of writing to the Income Tax authorities.
When approached for comments, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who holds charge of Housing and Urban Development Department, confirmed that an inquiry has been ordered into the construction of flats at Narwal Bala and a report has been sought from the Department.
“We are on the job and law will take its own course,” Dr Singh said.
Sources, however, said that the Government was mulling the option of lodging an FIR in grant of permission for construction of flats by the JMC on the land on which the Corporation had no jurisdiction. However, it was waiting for completion of its own inquiry into the irregularities committed by the officers and officials in allowing construction of flats bypassing ruled and norms.
The Government could handover the case to the State Vigilance Organization or the Crime Branch for an in-depth probe, they said.
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