Srinagar: In a major crackdown on alleged corruption and misuse of official powers, the Offences Wing of the Crime Branch Kashmir conducted multiple raids across the Valley and registered a formal case against a Tehsildar and several other individuals.
The Crime Branch said the brief facts that led to the registration of the case are that the Offences Wing (Crime Branch Kashmir) received a written complaint, wherein it was alleged that the complainant had purchased a piece of land at Balhama measuring 5 kanals 4 marlas at Rs 17 lakhs per kanal from Mohammed Shafi Lone alias Shafi Cheeni, son of Abdul Ahad Lone, resident of House No. 187, Sector B, Peerbagh, Srinagar, and prepared three sale deeds. The complainant paid Rs 88,40,000 to Mohammed Shafi Lone. The complainant also gave two kanals of land situated at Gooripora to the accused in exchange, which was later sold back by the accused.
It was further alleged that the sale deeds were taken back by the persons for the purpose of updating records. However, upon their return, it was found that insertions had been made in the sale deeds by changing Khasra numbers from 314, 315 to 290, 325; to 316 and 312, 324 min; and 290 was changed to 290 again.
The complainant alleged that the land was under her possession; however, one individual forcibly occupied 2 kanals and 10 marlas from the said land, claiming it was sold to him by one Rayaz Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, resident of Nowgam, Srinagar.
Upon receipt of the complaint, verification was initiated at Police Station EOW Srinagar (Crime Branch Kashmir). During the probe, it was prima facie substantiated that the accused had deceived the complainant and had inserted incorrect survey numbers in the sale deeds in connivance with concerned revenue officers and officials. During the investigation, it also surfaced that false mutations had been inserted afterwards in the revenue records by the then Tehsildar Balhama, Nusrat Aziz, and then Patwari Ashiq Ali, illegally to confer undue benefit upon Rayaz Ahmad Bhat, who sold land that did not belong to him.
The criminal acts on the part of the accused persons include: Ms Nusrat Aziz, daughter of Abdul Aziz Lone, resident of Gurez, at present Mehjoor Nagar, Srinagar (the then Tehsildar Balhama); Ashiq Ali, son of Ghulam Rasool Khan, resident of Panner Jagir, at present Hawal Srinagar (the then Patwari Balhama Srinagar); Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, resident of Nowgam Srinagar; Mohammad Shafi Lone alias Shafi Cheeni, son of Abdul Ahad Lone, resident of House No. 187, Sector B, Peerbagh Srinagar; Shamima Akhter, wife of Mohammad Shafi Lone, resident of Gooripora Rawalpora; Shahnawaz Ahmad Rather, son of Noor Mohammad Rather, resident of Padshahi Bagh Srinagar; and Shabir Ahmad Wani, son of Mohammad Ismail Wani, resident of Bagandar Lasjan.
Prima facie, the case discloses the commission of offences punishable under Sections 167, 420, 120-B RPC read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006. Accordingly, case FIR No. 14/2025 has been registered at Police Station EOW (Crime Branch Kashmir).
Subsequently, search warrants were obtained from the Hon’ble Court of Law and searches are underway at seven different locations within the jurisdictions of Srinagar and Budgam.
It is pertinent to mention that Smt Nusrat Aziz and others are also involved in case FIR No. 08/2021 under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B RPC read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act of Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir, which is nearing completion. These accused individuals have been operating in an organised manner, causing substantial loss and distress to gullible people in the districts of Srinagar and Budgam, the statement reads.
