SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) JK has registered two FIRs against a Girdawar for accumulating disproportionate assets and conducting illegal and fraudulent mutations in revenue records.
A spokesman for the ACB, in a statement said that the Bureau had conducted a verification into allegations of disproportionate assets acquired through corrupt practices by Abdul Majid Sheikh @ Malla, formerly Patwari Halqa Matipora Pattan and now Girdawar Qanoongo Circle Nowshera Tehsil Boniyar.
“The verification revealed that the public servant possesses various disproportionate assets, including immovable and movable properties acquired in his name and in the names of his family members. The properties include several plots of land and structures in Wahigund, Kunzer, and Pattan, Baramulla, all acquired during the check period. Additionally, he has constructed a double-storey house on ancestral land and has substantial transactions in various bank accounts,” reads the statement.
Upon concluding the probe, the ACB registered Case FIR at PS ACB Baramulla against Abdul Majid Sheikh. Searches at his residence led to the seizure of Rs 3.80 lakh in cash and other incriminating documents. “The investigation further revealed that Sheikh had purchased over 16 kanals of land under different survey numbers at Wahigund Kunzer. These properties were fraudulently mutated via oral gift deeds to evade stamp duty and registration fees.”
The investigation identified that revenue officers Bashir Ahmad Reshi, Manzoor Ahmad Khanday, and Altaf Hussain Khan colluded with Sheikh to fraudulently enter these mutations in the revenue records, violating laid down norms. This included altering mutation records to falsely show land as orally gifted to Sheikh and his family members.
“The ACB’s verification uncovered that these revenue officials, in conspiracy with Sheikh, facilitated the evasion of stamp duty and registration charges, leading to undue pecuniary gains and significant loss to the government exchequer. Consequently, a separate FIR No 08/2024 under section 5(1)(d) r/w 5(2) J&K PC Act Svt-2006 and sections 467, 468, 471, 120-B of RPC was registered at ACB PS Baramulla. Investigations against all involved parties are ongoing,” it reads.—(KNO).
