FIR lodged against liquor baron

Jammu: After Gulmarg land scam where senior IAS officers are facing prosecution under prevention of Corruption Act for illegally conferring ownership rights to the land mafia at world famous ski resort Gulmarg, a similar Roshni land scam has been unearthed by the State Vigilance Organization by registering FIR vide number 6/2014 against the senior functionaries o`                                  f Revenue Department and the beneficiary- a highly influential businessman and liquor baron of Jammu namely Bansi Lal Gupta son of Ishar Dar Gupta resident of Gandhi Nagar Jammu.

Reliable sources told Srinagar based news gathering agency CNS that a complaint was lodged by prominent social activist Professor S.K.Bhalla against the liquor baron and senior IAS officer then posted in Jammu for conferring ownership rights in respect of land measuring 5 kanal and 2 marlas comprised in khasra number 781 sitauted at village Deeli (Marble Market) Jammu.

On receipt of the complaint, State Vigilance Organization (SVO) initiated verification and found that the beneficiary was not having any khasra gridwari (Revenue extraction) with regard to the said land and as per Roshni Act, this was sufficient for the Revenue officers to reject the case of Bansi Lal Gupta.

During verification it was also found that the government of Jammu and Kashmir had transferred land measuring 154 kanals and 5 marlas in khasra number 781 way back in 2004 and there was an entry in the name of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in ownership column, but the Patwari concerned did not mention that the girdawari for the land in question has not been made in the name of the applicant (beneficiary). It was also found during verification that land in question was belonging to JDA and was exempted from the preview of the Roshni scheme.

The then District Collector for Jammu vide order number DCJ/HQA/Roshni/08/676-77 dated 9/6/2008 conferred ownership rights for this land in favour of the beneficiary. This order of ownership was passed after the price determination committee headed by then Divisional Commissioner Jammu determined the market value of the said land.

Although, SVO has only indicated that the FIR has been first registered against officers and officials of Revenue department Jammu and officers of JDA but the reliable sources told CNS that the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu Sudhanshu Pandey, the then Deputy Commissioner Jammu Hirdesh Kumar Singh, the then vice chairperson JDA Sarita Chouhan and other Revenue officers are in the net of the vigilance.

The investigation of the case has been started and the FIR has been formally registered under section 5 (1) (d) read with section 5 (2) prevention of corruption act 2006 and section 120 B RPC and section 17 of J&K state land (vesting of ownership to the occupants) act 2001 and the investigation has been entrusted to Rajesh Sharma Inspector Jammu wing of Police Station Vigilance Organization Jammu. (CNS)