SRINAGAR: A local court in this north Kashmir district has issued a non-bailable warrant against a man in connection with multiple cheque bounce cases, linked to a broader land scam that allegedly duped several buyers.
The Judicial Magistrate 1st Class, Bandipora, Amandeep Singh, issued the non-bailable warrant against Abdul Gani Khan of Jammu, who, along with his accomplice Shahnawaz Ahmad Mir, is allegedly involved in a land scam targeting buyers in Bandipora.
The directions were issued in a case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act after the accused failed to appear before the court in three separate cheque dishonour cases.
The court directed the Station House Officer (SHO), Sainik Colony, Jammu, to arrest the accused and produce him before the court on or before May 24, 2025.
The warrant has also been forwarded to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, for execution. The SSP has been asked to comply with the warrant and submit a compliance report if the arrest is not carried out.
The directions were issued in three cases filed by petitioners Hilal Ahmad Bhat, Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh, and Sheikh Saleem—all residents of Bandipora. The petitioners are being represented by Advocate Shafiq Ahmad Bhat.
The accused, along with Mir of Plan Bandipora, is under the scanner for allegedly running an organised land scam that defrauded more than a dozen residents. “After several attempts, the accused gave cheques to three persons (the petitioners) when pressed to return the money, but the cheques bounced due to insufficient funds,” the petitioners said.
Despite providing fake cheques, the duo allegedly promised to sell land in Chowadi, Jammu, which was later found to be earmarked for the Regional Science Centre and other government development projects.
Victims claimed they were shown fake land documents and misled into believing the deal was genuine. When asked to provide legal documentation for registration, the accused began delaying the process. The three buyers said Shahnawaz Mir gave them cheques issued from the account of Abdul Gani Khan at the State Cooperative Bank, Narwal, but all cheques bounced, leading to legal action.
The scam gained further attention after the JK Government confirmed that 100 kanals of land at Chowadi had been officially identified for the Regional Science Centre, exposing the fraud.
“We were shocked when we read news reports confirming the land shown to us was government property,” said one petitioner.
He added that the fraudsters, who seem to be part of a wider land mafia, have allegedly duped many others, including local politicians. “We were lucky to at least receive cheques, but they too bounced, prompting us to initiate legal proceedings,” he said.
Locals have urged law enforcement agencies, including the police and NIA, to conduct a deeper investigation, warning that this could be just the “tip of the iceberg” of a broader land mafia network operating in the region.
The petitioners have urged the public to stay cautious and avoid falling victim to similar fraudulent land deals. (KNO)
