Jammu, July 8, KDC: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday said it has registered two more FIRs in connection with an alleged multi-crore Custodian land scam in Jammu, accusing revenue officials, Form Alf holders, land grabbers and beneficiaries of fraudulently usurping government land through forged records and illegal mutations.
In a statement, the ACB said the latest cases relate to alleged fraudulent alienation of Custodian land in Bhalwal and Amb areas of Jammu district and are part of its continuing investigation into illegal allotment and transfer of Custodian land.
According to the ACB, earlier verification had revealed that “more than 1,000 kanals of Custodian land was shown allotted to displaced persons on the basis of fake orders,” although the beneficiaries were not entitled to such allotments. Based on those findings, the agency had already registered 27 FIRs, investigations into which are still underway.
The bureau said fresh verification found that several Pakistan/PoJK displaced families, who had already received land under the rehabilitation scheme, allegedly secured mutations of additional Custodian land in the names of their relatives despite having no legal entitlement.
“These persons, after getting mutation of lands in their favour, alienated the said land directly or through their attorney holders/conduits to various persons by resorting to fraudulent means, thereby causing a huge loss to the Government Exchequer,” the statement said.
Based on the findings, the ACB registered FIR No. 09/2026 at Police Station ACB Central, J&K, under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code, alleging criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and use of forged documents.
The case pertains to the alleged fraudulent transfer of around 12 kanals and three marlas of Custodian land in Bhalwal. The FIR names three former revenue officials—then Patwari Altaf Hussain, then Girdawar Amjid Malik and then Naib Tehsildar Aqeel Ahmad—along with Mohan Singh, Rabina Kouser and Nazir Hussain.
In another case, the ACB registered FIR No. 10/2026 following verification of a complaint alleging illegal conferment of ownership rights over Custodian land in Village Amb, Tehsil Bhalwal.
The bureau said the verification found that revenue officials, “by abuse of their official position and in criminal conspiracy with beneficiaries,” fraudulently attested mutations in favour of private individuals, resulting in the illegal conferment of ownership rights over approximately 15 kanals and eight marlas of land and causing wrongful loss to the government.
The second FIR names former Patwari Baldev Raj, former Naib Tehsildar Pawan Kumar Kohli, beneficiary Rashpal Singh and others under the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act and provisions relating to criminal conspiracy.
The ACB said investigations in both cases have been taken up.
The bureau added that the latest FIRs are part of its ongoing drive to investigate alleged irregularities involving Custodian land in Jammu district and identify those responsible for illegal allotments, mutations and subsequent transfers. (KDC)
