Alleged demand of Rs 1 lakh by then Tehsildar, others
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 28: In an application filed by Jaspal Singh seeking direction to register FIR under relevant provision of Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code against Sohan Lal Rana, the then Tehsildar R S Pura and Tirath Singh, the then Office Qanoongo, R S Pura, who had allegedly taken Rs 1 lakh as gratification money from applicant/complainant for attesting mutation in the name of deceased father of complainant with respect to land possessed by him, Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu Haq Nawaz Zargar today directed SSP ACB Jammu to get the matter enquired.
After hearing both the sides, the court observed, “SSP (ACB) Jammu has initiated a miscellaneous verification to develop the allegations vide Central Office No. ACB-E-7486811-Misc.-Veri-JSK-32/2024 dated 27-05-2024. The Misc-Verification was initiated and an Enquiry Officer has been entrusted to probe accordingly”.
“Further, the status report filed on 21-10-2024 reveals that as per the direction of ACB Head Quarter SSP ACB sent communication to ADC Jammu (DVO) seeking authenticated copies of record/information with respect to Mutation No. 602 attested in favour of Ujjagar Singh in respect of land falling under Khasra No. 780 measuring 01 Kanal 04 Marlas situated at village Kharian”, the court observed.
“Perusal of copy of mutation revealed that the Mutation has been attested in the year 2023 and not in the year 2017 as claimed by the complainant. Moreover letter mentioned in the record provided by the DVO is contradictory to the report submitted by the then NT vide No. 1152/NT-4 dated 24-11-2016 on the application of the complainant. There is in the instant Miscellaneous Verification. Accordingly ACB Head Quarters has been requested vide letter No. SSP/Misc/32-2024/ACBJ/5732 dated 09-10-2024 to authorize an open verification into the instant matter. That, as soon as the requisite authorization from the ACB Head Quarters is received, further course of action shall be taken into the matter and accordingly it will be finalized on merits”, the status report submitted.
“Report clearly reflects that ACB Headquarters has been requested to authorize an open verification into the case in hand. From the perusal of the successive reports filed by ACB Jammu, it is discernible that a Misc-Verification was initiated by ACB through Enquiry Officer which stands completed with the request that authorization for an open verification needs to be given”, the court observed.
“Since it is not possible at the first instance that FIR under the relevant provisions of law be registered against the suspects who are the serving Government employees as stated by APP but the DVO has requested for the open verification to which ACB has to respond forthwith”, the court said, adding “since the Miscellaneous-Verification is already concluded with request for open verification and considering the nature and seriousness of the allegations, SSP, ACB (Jammu), is directed to get the matter enquired into and proceed further expeditiously in accordance with law”.
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