Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 16: Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court Jammu has ordered framing of charges against former Vice Chairman of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) Vinod Sharma and his wife Mamta Sharma in the Trikuta Nagar land case, holding that a prima facie case is made out against them for offences under the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B RPC.
The order was passed by Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu Sonia Gupta in challan file No. 154/2025 arising out of FIR No. 18/2014 registered at Police Station VOJ Jammu. The prosecution was conducted by APP M.A. Almansoor, while the accused were represented by Advocates Manik Khajuria and Dhruv Pant.
As per the prosecution case, ex-VC JDA Vinod Sharma and his wife were accused of securing illegal benefit in respect of Plot No. 42, Sector 1-A, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu. The court noted that while the original allotment of 5400 square feet and the 4300 square feet private land purchase did not survive as the central issue, the real controversy now revolves around a 900 square feet strip of land allegedly regularized illegally in favour of Mamta Sharma.
The court observed that the prosecution material indicated the 900 square feet strip was not ordinary JDA land but land connected with a nallah/sewerage passage, and that it was allegedly regularized on the basis of wrong reports furnished by revenue officials in connivance with Vinod Sharma, who had remained posted in JDA in different capacities, including as Vice Chairman.
The court also referred to official communications and demarcation material showing that a sewerage line/nallah was passing through the site, and said the question of how land meant for such public utility use came to be regularized in favour of the accused was a serious matter requiring trial.
Holding that the record disclosed “grave suspicion” sufficient for framing of charge, the court ruled that ex-VC JDA Vinod Sharma and Mamta Sharma must face trial.
Proceedings against co-accused Rishi Kumar, then Patwari JDA and Ghany Sham, then Naib Tehsildar JDA, were declared abated as both had died before filing of the charge-sheet.
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