J&K ACB registers case against Ex-Tehsildar Rajouri, others on Corruption Charges

JAMMU, 17 May 2024: J&K Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered Case FIR no. 02/2024 at Police Station ACB Rajouri U/s 5(1) (d) r/w section 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006 and section 120-B RPC against Balwant Singh, then Tehsildar Rajouri (now Retired), Mohd. Rafiq, then Patwari Rehtal, private beneficiaries namely Kanwal Singh R/O Choudhary Nar Tehsil Rajouri, Masood Anwar S/O Mir Hussain Gujjar R/O Choudhary Nar Tehsil & District Rajouri and others.

The instant case was registered on the outcome of verification conducted by ACB under a written complaint alleging therein that Balwant Singh, then Tehsildar Rajouri after conspiring with Kanwal Singh S/o Sh. Bihari Lal R/o Choudhary Nar Tehsil and District Rajouri just for extraneous considerations and with malafide intention passed an order dated 25-03-2010 in mutation   No. 417  of village   Rehtal,  Rajouri whereby only Kanwal Singh was declared as Tenant-at-will under Govt. Order No LB-06/C of 1958 leaving thereby other legal heirs/ successors of Late Brij Lal etc.

During verification, it surfaced that Balwant Singh, then Tehsildar Rajouri and Mohd Rafiq, then Patwari illegally/arbitrarily transferred land in favour of beneficiaries by effecting entries in favour of them. The said revenue officers/officials recorded & attested mutation No. 417 under LB 06/C of 1958 and mutation No 419 under S-432 of 1966, both dated 25-03-2010 for land measuring 03 kanals under Khasra No. 203, 01 Kanal 09 Marlas under Khasra No. 204 & 19 Marlas under Khasra No. 201, (total 05 K 08 M) in favour of Kanwal Singh, thereby ignoring the right of  Brij   Lal,  brother of  Kanwal  Singh.

Similarly, mutation Nos. 415/1 under LB-6/C of 1958 & 415/2  under S-432 of 1966, dated 25-03-2010 are also found to be recorded & attested in favour of one Masood Anwar for land measuring 5 marlas situated at Rehtal in violation of conditions laid down. All such mutations including mutation No. 419 & mutation No. 415/2 so attested under  S-432  of  1966 by which proprietary rights were given to beneficiaries, are found to be attested in violation of conditions laid down in Govt. Order Nos. LB-6/C & S-432, as the beneficiaries were not in continuous possession of the said land since 1957-58, which is a pre-requisite condition for attestation of said mutations. As per the enquiry conducted, different entries in Parat Sarkar as well as Parat Patwar of mutation no. 415/1 under LB-6/C of 1958 are found to be in contradiction to each other. As per standing order No. 23-A (record of mutation), the serial No of mutation cases should be continuous for the whole term of settlement, but in the instant matter, serial Nos. 415/1 & 415/2 are found to be given to these mutations which is contrary to the above-said order.

By acting in this manner, the above-named revenue officers/officials, by abuse of their official positions and in lieu of criminal conspiracy hatched among themselves as well as with beneficiaries conferred undue benefits upon them just for their pecuniary gains. The aforementioned facts disclose the commission of offences punishable u/s 5(1)(d) r/w section 5(2) of J&K PC Act, Svt. 2006 and section 120-B RPC against then revenue officers/officials namely Balwant Singh, then Tehsildar Rajouri (now retired) S/O Shiv Ram R/O Badhal Tehsil Khwas District Rajouri A/P Dogra Nagar Durga Nagar Jammu,  Mohd Rafiq then Patwari Rehtal (now Naib Tehsildar Kathua) S/O Gulab Din R/O Naghoon Tehsil & District Rajouri as well as beneficiaries namely Kanwal Singh S/O Sh. Bihari Lal R/O Choudary Nar Tehsil Rajouri (in respect of mutation No. 417 under LB-6/C & 419 under S-432),  Masood Anwar S/O Mir Hussain  Gujjar R/O Choudary Nar Tehsil & District Rajouri(in respect of Mutation No. 415/1 under LB-6/C & 415/2 under S-432) and others.

Further investigation in the case is going on.