SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has exposed another alleged Custodian land fraud in Jammu, uncovering a network of land grabbers, beneficiaries and revenue officials accused of manipulating official records to illegally transfer government land.
The bureau has registered two fresh FIRs in connection with the scam involving Custodian land in Bhalwal and Amb areas of Jammu district, where officials said ownership rights were allegedly obtained through fraudulent means.
An ACB spokesperson said an investigation into large-scale irregularities revealed that Custodian land spread across Asarwan, Mishriwala, Bhalwal and R.S. Pura had allegedly been grabbed with the help of forged documents and tampered revenue records before being sold to different individuals.
According to the bureau, earlier verification had exposed fraudulent allotment of over 1,000 kanals of Custodian land in favour of ineligible persons through fake orders. The findings had led to the registration of 27 FIRs, while the investigation into the wider land scam remains underway.
The latest probe revealed that some relatives of displaced persons from Pakistan/PoK allegedly managed to secure additional land despite having no entitlement. Officials said the mutations were entered either without approval from competent authorities or through fake Provisional Rehabilitation Office (PRO) orders in alleged collusion with revenue officials.
The ACB said the illegally obtained land was later transferred through direct deals, attorney holders and other channels, resulting in a major loss to the government exchequer.
After finding prima facie evidence of collusion between land grabbers, Form Alaf holders and officials in the illegal transfer of nearly 12 kanals and three marlas of Custodian land, the bureau registered FIR No. 09/2026 against six persons, including government officials and private beneficiaries.
In a separate case, the ACB acted on a complaint regarding alleged illegal mutations of land in Village Amb, Tehsil Bhalwal. Verification found that revenue officials allegedly misused their positions and conspired with beneficiary Rashpal Singh and others to illegally confer ownership rights over nearly 15 kanals and eight marlas of land.
The bureau subsequently registered FIR No. 10/2026 against the then Patwari Halqa Baldev Raj, then Naib Tehsildar Pawan Kumar Kohli, Rashpal Singh and others under relevant provisions of anti-corruption laws.
The ACB said further investigation into both cases is underway.
