Avinash Azad
Following a series of investigative reports published by The Hidden News, Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, has constituted a high-powered joint commission to demarcate a piece of forest land allegedly encroached upon by former MLC Mohd Hussain.
The investigation gained momentum after Jammu East MLA Yudhvir Sethi, during the recently concluded Assembly session, publicly accused the former legislator of land grabbing. The revelations published by The Hidden News appear to have yielded significant results, prompting administrative action. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (JKACB) has also initiated a probe into the matter. Notably, the Patwari of Patwar Halqa Bain Bajalta—accused of misusing his official position in connection with the case—was suspended two weeks ago by the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu.
The land in question, falling under Khasra No. 474 in Village Bain Bajal, Tehsil and District Jammu, is classified as Banjar Qadeem as per revenue records. The forest department alleges that Hussain Mohd, a former MLC, made an attempt to encroach upon this forest land situated in Compartment No. 23/Bajalta.
Reportedly, soil is being illegally extracted from hill areas, which are being flattened due to unabated mining by the land mafia. This is part of their modus operandi: they first identify forest or state land, then deploy heavy machinery to excavate and transport the soil to construction sites such as the Pathankote–Vaishno Devi Expressway. Later, they allegedly tamper with revenue records to fraudulently claim ownership of the encroached forest land.
According to official communication from the office of DC Jammu, the commission has been tasked with verifying the status of the land following complaints and confusion surrounding the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for establishing petrol pumps and issuing distance certificates linked to the said land.
Citing a letter from the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jammu (No. DFO-J/Dem./76-79 dated 11-06-2025), the DC has directed the commission to determine the actual status of the land and submit a report within a fortnight.
The seven-member joint commission will be headed by the Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Jammu and includes: Anmol Rathore, Assistant Commissioner (UT), Nayeem Iqbal, Tehsildar Jammu West, Ashok Kumar, Naib Tehsildar Rakh Bahu, Jagdish Singh, Naib Tehsildar Sidhra Bajalta, Satish Kumar, Naib Tehsildar Demarcation Division-I Jammu, Varinder Sharma, Range Officer Demarcation Division-I Jammu and Bhishamber Singh, Range Officer Bahu Forest Range.
The commission has also been empowered to co-opt any other member(s) it may deem necessary to assist in the demarcation exercise. This move follows a series of serious allegations leveled against the former MLC during the recent Assembly session, where MLA Yudhvir Sethi had accused Hussain of large-scale forest and state land encroachments.
Sources suggest that this demarcation exercise could pave the way for criminal proceedings or eviction action, depending on the findings of the commission. The administration’s swift response is being seen as a signal of zero-tolerance towards encroachments, particularly when high-profile political figures are involved.
