In a shocking turn of events, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Jammu and Kashmir has unearthed a land allotment scam involving IAS officer and Separatist leaders as beneficiaries and officers and officials of the Custodian Department Kashmir.
A letter addressed to the Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department, vide number ACB-FIR-10/2014-Sgr-5758-64 (7477658), dated 16/05/2024, by the Chief Prosecuting Officer for the Director ACB J&K, Srinagar, conveys the gravity of the situation.
The FIR, numbered 10/2024, was lodged on May 10, 2024, under Sections 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, and Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. The case stems from allegations that one Dil Rafiqa, wife of Dr. Abdul Majeed, a resident of Srinagar, was illegally allotted evacuee land by the Custodian Department.
The ACB’s inquiry revealed that the land, belonging to Imam-u-Din and located at Saderbal Hazratbal, was allotted to Dil Rafiqa and several others without obtaining government sanction or conducting an open auction, blatantly violating the rules and regulations governing the subject.
Alarmingly, a portion of the evacuee land measuring 7 kanal, 19 marlas, and 97 square feet has been encroached upon by six individuals, including Dil Rafiqa, wife of Dr. Abdul Majeed; Majid Khalil Ahmed Drabu, son of Saif-ud-Din Ahmed Drabu, an IAS officer , Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, a prominent separatist leader and son of late Mohammad Farooq; Mohammad Amin Khan, son of Ghulam Nabi Khan; Abdul Majeed Bhat, son of Abdul Mohammad Abdullah Bhat; and Qazi Bilal Ahmad, son of Qazi Noor Din.
The preliminary inquiry uncovered that the officers and officials of the Custodian Department, in collusion with officials from the Revenue Department and the beneficiary allottees, dishonestly and fraudulently resorted to corrupt practices. In furtherance of a conspiracy and by abusing their official positions, they made allotments of evacuee land in violation of the prevailing rules and norms. Furthermore, they maintained criminal silence by not acting against the encroachers in a timely manner, thereby bestowing undue benefits upon themselves and the beneficiary allottees/encroachers, resulting in a corresponding wrongful loss to the state exchequer.
Among the accused are Majid Khalil Ahmed Drabu, the Controller of Legal Metrology, and his brother-in-law, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, a prominent Hurriyat leader. According to the FIR, Drabu and Farooq fraudulently and dishonestly, resorting to corrupt practices in furtherance of a conspiracy and by abusing their official positions, obtained the allotment of 1 kanal and 1 marla of prime custodian land worth crores in Nageen, Srinagar, for a mere 6 lakh rupees.
The ACB has initiated an investigation into the matter, which is currently in progress. If proven guilty, the accused individuals could face severe penalties under the relevant laws. This land allotment scam has sent shockwaves through the administrative machinery in Jammu and Kashmir, raising questions about the prevalence of corruption and the misuse of authority. The case highlights the need for stringent measures to ensure transparency and accountability in the allotment of public lands and properties.
