Srinagar: State High Court has asked Government to file its objections in a matter related to the misappropriation of funds and illegal sale of land by revenue officials in famous tourist resort Pahalgam within two weeks.

A petition with regard to Pahalgam land scam was filed by one Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Mir son of Abdul Gani Mir resident of Laripora Pahalgam in State High Court through his council Parvez Imroz.

Talking to CNS, Advocate Parvez Imroz said that the petitioner had been wronged by the revenue officials like other people of Pahalgam that his land which is mortgaged to the Bank has been alienated through fraudulent revenue records.

He said that the petitioner in his petition had stated that in 13 villages in Pahalgam huge land mafia is operating in connivance with the revenue officials are alienating the land of the people by fraudulent power of attorneys, sale-deeds and mutation without their knowledge and approval.

The petitioner on behalf of common people of Pahalgam through his council informed the court that the entire land record has been changed fraudulently after revenue records were gutted in 1970 and 1983. “The revenue officials in connivance with the land mafia are alienating the propertied and even non-propertied land and forest land to the outsiders particularly to people from Srinagar though the actual owners are living on such land and the land alienated on changed khasra numbers are being shown on other places,” the counsel for the petitioner told the Court.

Informing the Court that no action is being taken against the guilty and the practice continues, the Counsel said that even in one case the Crime Branch has filed FIR number 10/2010 under section 420, 468, 471, 120 B of RPC against this fraudulent sale deeds but the accused persons have not been punished and nobody knows what happened to that case.

The Counsel informed the Court that the petitioner who is also a victim, as his land mortgaged to State Bank of India has also been sold through fraudulent sale-deeds.

Taking cognizance of the serious allegations, the State High Court directed the government to file its objections within two weeks time. (CNS)