SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against the then Tehsildar of Bijbehara, Ghulam Rasool Bhat, the then Naib Tehsildar Fayaz Ahmad Wani, the concerned Patwari Ghulam Nabi Banday, and others for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent attestation of 162 land mutations involving around 1,050 kanals of land in Tehsil Bijbehara between 2022 and 2024.
According to the ACB, the case stems from a source-based complaint alleging that the accused officials, in connivance with others, illegally attested land mutations without the execution of registered transfer deeds and without the payment of the prescribed registration fee and stamp duty, causing substantial loss to the State exchequer.
The Bureau said its verification, supported by reports of the Departmental Vigilance Officer (Revenue), departmental inquiry committees and expert opinion, revealed gross violations of revenue laws and Standing Order 23-A.
The verification further found that the purported relinquishment deeds were, in fact, sale transactions allegedly disguised to evade registration and stamp duty. It also disclosed that money was allegedly routed through intermediaries and multiple bank accounts to conceal the transactions.
Based on the material collected during the verification, the ACB said a prima facie case of abuse of official position, criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct had been established.
Accordingly, FIR No. 06/2026 has been registered at Police Station ACB, Anantnag, under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the accused officials and others.
Following the registration of the FIR, the ACB conducted simultaneous searches at the residential premises of the accused after obtaining search warrants from the Court of the Special Judge, ACB, Anantnag.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau said further investigation into the case is underway.
