SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau has produced a chargesheet before the Hon’ble Special Judge Anti-Corruption Srinagar in a long-pending case of fraudulent land compensation payments, implicating 22 persons, including two former Collectors of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), four other retired public servants, and sixteen private beneficiaries. The case—FIR No. 18/2009—has been registered under the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act Svt. 2006 and relevant sections of the RPC.
The charges arise from an investigation launched after a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) revealed that government officials had colluded with beneficiaries to tamper with land records and inflate claims under a government rehabilitation scheme meant for Dal dwellers. The scam led to excess compensation payments amounting to Rs 38.20 lakh at Rakh-e-Aerth, Budgam, where land in possession of tenants (Kamas) was fraudulently exaggerated.
Through insertions and manipulation in revenue records, the land holdings of certain individuals were shown many times larger than the actual area. For example, land recorded as 6 kanals was inflated to 60 kanals under Khasra No. 1692; 4 kanals was inflated to 40 kanals under Khasra No. 1666/750; and 2 kanals became 7 kanals 10 marlas under Khasra No. 1736. This manipulation enabled the fraudulent drawing of compensation at the cost of the state exchequer.
After securing government sanction to prosecute the involved public servants, the ACB produced the final chargesheet on April 12, 2025. The full list of accused persons is as follows:
Abdul Majid Akhtar, son of Abdul Ahad Akhtar, resident of Saraiballa Srinagar, currently at Chanapora Srinagar – then Patwari, Rakhs and Farms (now retired)
Zaffar Ahmad Hakak, son of Ghulam Ahmad Hakak, resident of Dokani Sangeen Fatehkadal, currently at Habib Colony, Baghat Barzulla Srinagar – then Assistant Director, Rakhs and Farms Department (now retired)
Manzoor Ahmad Rather, son of Ghulam Hassan Rather, resident of Dehrana Dooru, District Anantnag – then Senior Circle Inspector, Rakhs and Farms Department (now retired)
Ali Mohammad Wani, son of Abdul Gani Wani, resident of Habbak Naseembagh, Hazratbal Srinagar – then Girdawar, Rakhs and Farms Kashmir (now retired)
Hafiz-ullah Shah, son of Peer Ghulam Mohammad Shah, resident of Khiagam, Pulwama – then Collector LAWDA (now retired)
Mohammad Hussain Mir, son of Qasim Ali Mir, resident of S. K. Colony, Sector 3, Qamarwari Srinagar – then Collector LAWDA (now retired)
Aga Syed Mussa, son of Aga Syed Hussain, resident of Budgam
Aga Syed Aqueel, son of Aga Syed Hussain, resident of Budgam
Aga Syed Mohsin, son of Aga Syed Mustafa, resident of Budgam
Aga Syed Ali, son of Aga Syed Mustafa, resident of Budgam
Aga Syed Hassan, son of Aga Syed Mustafa, resident of Budgam
Aga Syed Ahmad, son of Aga Syed Mustafa, resident of Budgam
Aga Syed Rohullah, son of Aga Syed Mehdi, resident of Budgam
Mohammad Sadiq Wani, son of Hassan Wani, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Mohammad Talib Wani, son of Hassan Wani, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Ali Mohammad Wani, son of Hassan Wani, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Ghulam Hussain Wani, son of Hassan Wani, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Abdul Rahim Wani, son of Hassan Wani, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Hyder Ali Wani, son of Hassan Wani, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Nazir Ahmad Wani, son of Ghulam Ahmad, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Ghulam Rasool Wani, son of Ghulam Ahmad Wani, resident of Durbal, Bemina
Ahamadullah Dar (now deceased), son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar, resident of Kolipora, Bemina
The case is now before the court for judicial determination. The Anti-Corruption Bureau has stated that the investigation established clear misuse of official position and criminal conspiracy, causing substantial losses to the public exchequer.
