Revenue, FCS & CA officials among accused
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 31: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jammu, today produced charge-sheets in two separate cases before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, involving alleged illegal transfer of State land and fraudulent issuance of ration to non-existent beneficiaries.
An ACB official said in the first case, registered as FIR No. 09/2020, the charge-sheet pertains to the illegal transfer of State land in villages Jagti, Nagrota, Dung, Marh and Sitni of Tehsil Nagrota in Jammu district.
According to him, the ACB has named Rajesh Kumar, then Incharge Tehsildar Nagrota, and Riaz Ahmed, then Incharge Patwari Halqa Jagti, along with 31 private beneficiaries as accused in the case.
The ACB official said the case relates to the period between 2016 and 2018, during which the accused officials allegedly conferred ownership rights over State land in favour of private individuals who were in illegal occupation of the land.
He said the investigations revealed that Government orders meant for regularization were misused by violating mandatory conditions and safeguards.
“As a result, State land measuring 196 Kanal and 10 Marla was illegally transferred through 18 unauthorized mutations,” he said, claiming the market value of the land has been assessed at over Rs 22 Crore, causing a substantial loss to the State exchequer and unlawful gain to the beneficiaries.
After completion of investigation, the ACB official said, the charge-sheet was filed and later transferred to the Court of Additional Sessions Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, the ACB official said.
In the second case, registered as FIR No. 16/2011, he said, the ACB produced a charge-sheet in connection with the issuance of ration to non-existent BPL and AAY families in village Khandwal, Jammu.
The accused in this case include Bhajan Singh, then Tehsil Supply Officer Jammu, along with officials of the CA&PD Department and local functionaries. Several accused persons in the case have since expired.
According to the ACB official, the case dates back to 2004, when fake beneficiary lists were allegedly prepared and used for the appointment of a ration dealer.
He said the verification revealed that out of the listed beneficiaries, 188 BPL and AAY families were found to be non-existent.
Between 2004 and 2010, large quantities of subsidized ration, including wheat, rice and sugar, were issued against these fake entries, he said.
According to the ACB official, the misappropriation of ration resulted in a loss of over Rs 30 lakh to the State exchequer.
After completing the investigation, the Bureau found the case proved and produced the charge-sheet for judicial determination, he said.
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