ACB registered case against Mohd Bashir, Sanjay Badyal, Avtar Singh Jasrotia then Tehsildars Jammu, Ajay Paul Singh, then Patwari Halqa Mishriwala, Rishpal Singh, then Patwari Halqa Mishriwala and the then Naib Tehsildar Bhalwal as well as beneficiaries namely Shilpi Mahajan, Subash Chander and others.

A verification was conducted by Anti-Corruption Bureau to look into allegations that land measuring 40 kanals falling in the Village Mishriwala Tehsil North Jammu under old Khasra Nos. 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1030, 1036, 1037 and new Khasra Nos. 533J, 534J, and 536J was transferred to Som Dutt, Govind Ram, Chaman Lal Sons of Mela Ram under sections 4 and 8 of Agrarian Reforms Act vide Mutation No. 2235. Subsequently, the said Som Dutt and others executed a power of attorney in favour of Subash Chander S/O Ramji Dass R/O Mandi, Govind Garh (now Trikuta Nagar, Jammu) a resident of Punjab by violating the provision under section 17 of Agrarian Reform Act. The said Subash Chander further transferred the land to his daughter- in-law Shilpi Mahajan W/O Akhil Mahajan R/O Trikuta Nagar Jammu. The Fard Intikhabs of land in question were issued by then Patwari Rishpal Singh, attested by then Naib Tehsildar Bhalwal and further attested / countersigned by the then Tehsildar Jammu Mohd Bashir in which they concealed the facts that the land falling under above mentioned Khasra numbers come under Agrarian Reforms Act.

2. The verification conducted revealed that the above named Som Dutt and others have executed power of attorneys in favour of Subash Chander S/O Ramji Dass R/O Mandi, Govind Garh (now Trikuta Nagar Jammu) a resident of Punjab in respect of instant land who has subsequently alienated 32 kanals of land through sale deeds executed during 2010 to 2014 in favour of Shipli Mahajan in clear violation of Section 28-A of Agrarian Reforms Act. The aforesaid revenue officers/officials namely Rishpal Singh, then Patwari, then Naib Tehsildar Bhalwal and Mohd Bashir, then Tehsildar issued and attested the Fard Intikhabs by concealing the facts that the transfer of instant land is hit by provisions of Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976. Further, after transfer of 32 Kanals of land through sale deeds, the then Patwari Ajay Pal Singh entered the mutation which was subsequently attested by then Tehsildar Jammu Sanjay Badyal in favour of Shilpi Mahajan vide mutations No. 381J, 384J, 386J, 387J, and 389J in January 2014 without verifying the documents / by violating the norms. Apart from, one mutation No. 6 was also made in favour of Shilpi Mahajan regarding the instant patch of land by then Patwari Ajay Paul and attested by then Tehsildar Jammu Avtar Singh Jasrotia during August 2014 in violation to the norms of Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976. The said Subash Chander in fact took the possession of land after execution of power of attorney and subsequently sold the same to his daughter-in-law namely Shilpi Mahajan whereby a Banquet Hall has been constructed on the said land as such, categorically reflects the change of use of nature of land from agricultural to commercial.

3. During verification, it has also come to fore that the then SDM North Jammu had also conducted an enquiry on the subject issue and during enquiry, it has been found that the above named Revenue officers / officials issued Fard Intikhabs in respect of land in violation to Provisions of Agrarian Reforms Act and after its sale, the mutations stand attested by the concerned Revenue officers / officials as cited above.

4. In this manner, the above named officers / officials of revenue department and others, by abuse of their official positions and in league with each other, in lieu of pecuniary benefits have conferred undue advantage upon the beneficiaries. The aspect of change of land use from agricultural to commercial too forms part of investigation.

5. The aforesaid acts of omission and commission on the part of Mohd Bashir, Sanjay Badyal, Avtar Singh Jasrotia then Tehsildars Jammu, Ajay Paul Singh, then Patwari Halqa Mishriwala, Rishpal Singh, then Patwari Halqa Mishriwala and the then Naib Tehsildar Bhalwal as well as beneficiaries namely Shilpi Mahajan, Subash Chander and others constitute offences punishable under section 5 (1) (d) r/w 5 (2) J&K PC Act Svt. 2006 and section 120-B RPC. Consequently a case FIR No. 23/2020 was registered in P/S Anti-Corruption Bureau Jammu and investigation taken up.

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