Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 8: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation filed by Prof. S.K. Bhalla highlighting hushing up of Chatta Sunjwan land scam in which the Government of J&K had earlier appointed Sudhanshu Pandey, the then Divisional Commissioner, Jammu (now on central deputation) to identify the officials responsible for transfer of any land in favour of SRK Associates in contravention of rules and to identify the officials responsible for mutation of 20 kanals and 12 marlas of State Land under Khasra No.1442 of Village Chatta Sunjwan, a Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Janak Raj Kotwal today extended four weeks further time to the General Administration Department to file Action Taken Report in terms of the directions already passed by the Division Bench on May, 12, 2015 on the basis of the enquiry report submitted by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
Government of J&K had issued Govt. Order No.1083-GAD dated 20-10-2014 appointing Shantmanu, the then Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as an enquiry officer to conduct the enquiry in the matter as the previous enquiry officer Sudhanshu Pandey had not finalized the enquiry proceedings.
When this PIL came up for hearing today, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed drew the attention of the Division Bench towards the enquiry report filed by Divisional Commissioner, Jammu wherein the enquiry officer Shantmanu established that Khasra No.1442 which is actually a State Land has not been transferred in accordance with the rules and in spite of being State Land has been put to sale by ‘apparent’ tempering with the record and laterally inserting under the category of private land and after that “Fards” and mutations No.225 J and 312 J of the same have been prepared/issued and attested by the then Patwaries and Naib-Tehsildars concerned. He further submitted that the enquiry officer has recommended proper investigation in the matter.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that after considering the enquiry report, the Division Bench on May, 12, 2015 had directed the General Administration Department to file Action Taken Report in the matter but till date the ATR has not been filed. Senior AAG Seema Khajooria Shekhar appearing for GAD sought some more time to comply the directions issued by the Division Bench on May, 12, 2015 and assured the Court that the ATR will be filed before the next date of hearing.
Upon this the Division Bench comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Janak Raj Kotwal extended four weeks further time to the GAD to file the ATR pursuant to the directions already issued by the Court on May, 12, 2015. The Division Bench further directed the Registry to list this PIL for further consideration in 3rd week of August, 2015.
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