KL Report
SRINAGAR
The government has placed Tehsildar Srinagar (North) Bashir Ahmad Rather under suspension following a preliminary report filed by a high level committee indicting the revenue officer of stamp duty evasion worth Rs 25 Crores approximately.
Talking to a local news agency, KNS, Shailendra Kumar the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir said the revenue officer has been placed under suspension Monday after a preliminary enquiry found him responsible for stamp duty evasion causing a huge loss to the state exchequer.
“The preliminary enquiry committee comprising deputy commissioner Srinagar and two additional deputy commissioners has found that this fraud was going on for the last 12 to 18 months and accused Tehsildar has attested 1300 mutations on oral gifts. These mutations involve 1800 Kanals of land and Rs 25 Crores approximately stamp duty has been evaded in these attestations,” Kumar informed KNS.
The divisional Commissioner Kashmir added the mutations can be attested on oral gifts only in blood relations but the accused revenue officer had generalized the rule. “We have formed a committee comprising of settlement commissioner and the stamp commissioner who will probe the fraud in detail. We have given this committee one month to file its report,” Kumar added further.
The divisional commissioner Kashmir said that FIR can also be registered only after the final enquiry report is submitted before the government. “Yes we will surely direct for registration of FIR only after the final enquiry report is submitted to us,” Kumar stressed.
Sources in revenue department told KNS many heads will roll after a detailed enquiry is over. “This is not an isolated case but these frauds occur almost in every tehsil of the state. I think if the full-fledged enquiry is ordered, many heads will have to roll for stamp duty embezzlements,” a senior officer in revenue department told KNS pleading anonymity.
