Jammu, May 20: In a major crackdown on corruption in the revenue department, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Jammu has registered a formal case (FIR No. 08/2025) against several former government officials and private beneficiaries for the fraudulent allotment of state land, causing a substantial loss to the state exchequer.

The case has been registered under Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006, and Section 120-B of the RPC at Police Station ACB Jammu. The accused include Ravinder Sharma (then Tehsildar Settlement, Jammu), Mohammad Bashir (then Tehsildar Bahu, Jammu), Mohd Sarwar Lone (then Naib Tehsildar Bahu, Jammu), Mohd Rasheed Malik (then Patwari Chowadhi), as well as beneficiaries Tara Singh, Nazir Ahmad, and attorney holder Javed Iqbal.

The investigation revealed that an allotment order was issued on May 24, 2013, by the then PRO, Jammu, in favor of Tara Singh, a resident of Deli Rakh Bandu, under Cabinet Order No. 578-C as a refugee allottee. Ownership rights were later conferred on July 19, 2014, under Government Order No. 254/C. However, the mandatory condition—that the allottee must personally cultivate the land within six months—was never met.

Contrary to the allotment conditions, revenue records showed that the land in question remained under the continuous possession of one Nazir Ahmad as “Gair Muroosi.” There was no girdawari (cultivation record) in Tara Singh’s name. Shockingly, a Power of Attorney related to the land had already been executed in favor of Javid Iqbal before the ownership rights were even formally granted to Tara Singh.

The ACB stated that this fraudulent transaction was the result of a well-orchestrated conspiracy among the revenue officials, the beneficiary, and others to illegally acquire valuable state land and subsequently sell it for personal gain. The land, reportedly worth crores, was transferred in clear violation of established laws and government directives, resulting in a huge financial loss to the state.

Further investigations are underway to unearth more details and identify additional culpable parties.