ACB books then Tehsildar Sudesh Kumar, former Girdawar Mohd Qasim, Patwari Yash Pal

ACB books then Tehsildar Sudesh Kumar, former Girdawar Mohd Qasim, Patwari Yash Pal

JAMMU, June 27: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against Sudesh Kumar, the then Tehsildar Reasi, Mohd Qasim, the then Girdawar, Yash Pal, the then Patwari as well as beneficiaries under J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and 120-B RPC.

The beneficiaries are Dalip Singh, Omkar Singh, Kishore Singh, Inder Singh, Balwant Singh, all sons of Amarnath, Pushpa Devi, wife of Pritam Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Ashwani Singh, Parshotam Singh, Rangeel Singh, all sons of Saroop Singh, Chanchla Devi, wife of Balbir Singh, Manju Devi, wife of Mohan LaL, Gandharab Singh and Lehar Singh, both sons of Puspa Devi of Gran, Reasi.

According to the ACB, a verification was conducted against the then Additional Deputy Commissioner, Reasi and others on the allegations of release of wrong compensation on the basis of manipulated reports with regard to acquisition proceedings for land measuring 27 kanals and 6 marlas falling at village Gran, Reasi for dumping yard at T5-P-1 on Katra Dharm section of USBRL project in favour of person who have no right over the property so acquired etc.

The verification revealed that then Revenue Officers/Officials who remained associated with the award of compensation for land measuring 27 kanals and 6 marlas conferred undue benefit upon the beneficiaries by way of awarding compensation in violation of provisions of Land. 

Acquisition Act, Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976 and instructions issued in this regard.

It surfaced during the course of verification that the shamilat land under acquisition was not under the self cultivation of said person/persons in Kharif 1971 and no one amongst them was entitled for compensation.

In-fact, the compensation was supposed to be credited to Government exchequer under the appropriate head of account. Some of the beneficiaries agitated before the High Court pursuant to which the petition was disposed by giving liberty to petitioners to approach Tehsildar Reasi for seeking redressal to their grievances. The Tehsildar summoned the beneficiaries.

The probe further revealed that the persons in whose favour the land compensation stands released are not the rightful claimants of land compensation. The total amount of Rs 78,48,7507 was disbursed in violation of the provisions of Land Acquisition Act, Agrarian Reform Act and circular instructions issued by the Revenue department.

In this manner, the then officers/officials by abuse of their official positions and in lieu of criminal conspiracy with private beneficiaries disbursed the compensation in violation to the prescribed provisions to confer the wrongful gain to themselves as well as beneficiaries.