Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 14: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) has completed investigations in high profile Lethpora (Pulwama) land scam worth Rs 22 crores against 75 persons including officers and officials of Jammu and Kashmir Bank’s Lethpora branch.
After finalizing investigations in record time, the SVO has referred to case to the State Vigilance Commission before sending it to the Government for accord of sanction for launching prosecution.
As per the investigations, the National Highway Development Project under provisions of National Highway Act had to undertake new model concession agreement for executing projects on basis of Build Operate Transfer, which stipulated that 80 per cent of land required for the highway widening is to be acquired by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
“It was under this project which is part of North-South corridor programme for improving road connectivity and road condition that Project Director, NHAI, Project implementation unit Jammu placed an indent for acquisition of land along National Highway from 2 to 4 lanning of NH-1A from Kilometer 256 to Kilometer 280 (Banihal to Srinagar),’’ sources said.
The Land Acquisition for National Highway -1A four lanning in village Lethpora and adjacent villages was required to be made under Land Acquisition Act and compensation amount in accordance with the award made in this regard under the Act was to be disbursed among concerned eligible beneficiaries/ land owners.
However, sources said, it was found that during the year 2009 and 2010 the misappropriation of compensation amounting to over Rs 20 crores, which was meant for disbursement among the eligible beneficiaries of four lanning of National Highway at village Lethpora and adjacent villages, was committed in J&K Bank branch at Lethpora, Pulwama.
“The accounts in the name of Collector Land Acquisition National Highway (Additional Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama) were opened in the J&K Bank branch Lethpora, Pulwama through which all the fraudulent drawls by resorting to manipulation of records through dubious means with criminal intent to misappropriate the compensation amount of over Rs 22 crores were made,’’ sources said.
The Vigilance Organisation had registered case FIR No 37/2010 under Sections 5(1) (c) , 5(1) (d), 5(2) J&K Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) and 120-B, 409, 468 471 RPC in police station of Vigilance Organisation, Kashmir.
The officers/officials of Revenue Department of Pulwama district and J&K Bank branch, Lethpora including Adil Rashid Naqash, then Addl. Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Parvez Ahmad Indrabi, Office Superintendent, Nazir Ahmad Mir, Manager J&K Bank Lethpora and others by abuse of their official position in conspiracy with civilians including Showkat Ahmad Dar, a resident of Zinipora Chadoora and Farooq Jehanzeb of Awantipora misappropriated compensation amount of over Rs 22 crores thereby resulting in loss to the State exchequer.
Soon after registration of the case, the SVO had shared information with the Government, which after conducting the formal enquiry had dismissed then Additional DC Pulwama from the services as he was the prime accused in the case.
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