*More cases to be registered next month
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 11: State Vigilance Commission (SVC) has cleared two FIRs into infamous Roshni land scam and recommended certain ‘modifications’ in four other cases required to be carried out by the Special Investigation Teams (SITs) before writing to the Government for prosecution sanction against the accused serving officers. Interestingly, the Commission has recommended departmental inquiry against the then Vice-Chairperson of Jammu Development Authority despite the fact that State Vigilance Organization has proved allegations against her.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that State Vigilance Commission headed by Chief Vigilance Commissioner Kuldeep Khoda has returned all the six FIRs, which were submitted to it by Director, State Vigilance Organization, Sheikh Owais Ahmad under Rule 24(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission Rules, 2013.
These six FIRs were registered under Sections 5(1)(d) and 5(2) of Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act read with Section 17 of J&K State Land (Vesting of Ownership to Occupants) Act, 2001 and Section 120-B RPC earlier last year. In all these FIRs, allegations against the accused officers and beneficiaries have been proved by the Special Investigation Teams.
Two FIRs relating to blatant abuse of provisions of the Roshni Scheme in Pulwama and Udhampur districts have been cleared by the State Vigilance Commission without any change. As per the FIR vis-à-vis Udhampur district, it has been proved that the then District Collector Udhampur, O P Kalendria in connivance with some other officers and officials of the Revenue Department conferred undue benefit upon non-State subjects. In the FIR relating to Pulwama district, it has been established by the SIT that concerned authorities fixed the price of land lower than the prevailing market rate of the area at the cost of State exchequer.
In respect of four other FIRs relating to instances of misuse of scheme in Jammu, Srinagar and Budgam districts, the Vigilance Commission has recommended ‘modifications’, sources said. The Chief Vigilance Commissioner has directed the Director, State Vigilance Organization to get modifications carried out in these four FIRs (two registered by Police Station Vigilance Organization Jammu and two registered by Police Station Vigilance Organization Kashmir) before writing to the Government for prosecution sanction against the serving officers, they added.
They informed that in FIR No. 6 of Jammu, the Vigilance Commission has recommended departmental inquiry against the then Vice-Chairperson of Jammu Development Authority on the ground that the findings of the Special Investigation Team prima-facie don’t indicate her direct involvement in whole gamut vis-à-vis transfer of JDA land under Roshni Scheme.
“Entire exercise vis-à-vis land transfer was carried out prior to her appointment as VC JDA and she had only issued No Objective Certificate based on the earlier prepared documents”, sources said, adding “keeping this in mind the Commission is of the opinion that she can only be held guilty of dereliction of duty as she should have not blindly issued NOC”. The recommendation of the Vigilance Commission is notwithstanding the fact that SIT has established allegations against the then VC JDA.
Disclosing that Vigilance Organization would carry out the modifications recommended by the Commission within next one week, sources said that thereafter Director Vigilance would write to the General Administration Department for prosecution sanction against the accused serving officers. “The GAD will have to even approach the Department of Personnel and Training of Union Government as an IAS officer is also involved in one case”, sources added.
When asked about more FIRs into Roshni land scam, sources said that substantial progress has been made into 294 instances of abuse of the scheme—117 in Jammu, 54 in Udhampur and 23 in Samba districts in Jammu province and 50 instances each of Baramulla and Bandipora districts in Kashmir valley.
“Director Vigilance has fixed deadline for the SITs to complete verification by middle of next month when he would analyze the progress and then issue orders for registration of FIRs”, sources said.
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