STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, APRIL 13 (STC): In a swift reaction to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) producing a charge sheet against 22 persons including Member Parliament (MP) Aga Syed Rohullah and his six relatives for tampering revenue record, the MP on Sunday vehemently dismissed the allegations against him in the said case, calling it an “April Fool joke.”
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference in Budgam, he clarified that the land under question originally belonged to his grandfather and compensation had been lawfully distributed among the legal heirs, as per the records. Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said, “I had no involvement in the negotiation or compensation process. My share, which was just Rs 80,000, was received nearly 20 years ago,” he said.
The case, according to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), involves alleged manipulation of land revenue records related to government-acquired land in the Bemina-Darbal area over two decades ago.
He questioned the timing and intent behind the allegations, calling the matter a deliberate attempt to malign his reputation. “If this is what they call a multi-crore scam, then I urge not just the ACB but the NIA and other central agencies to probe the matter thoroughly and transparently,” he said.
He dubbed the charges politically motivated, aimed at silencing his consistent opposition to the abrogation of Article 370 and his advocacy for human rights in Jammu and Kashmir. “This is part of a larger pattern where institutions are being used to corner voices of dissent, especially those from minority communities,” he claimed.
Responding to queries on his party’s silence over the matter, Ruhullah said no one from the National Conference had reached out to him. He also touched upon local sentiments in his former assembly segment, Channapora-Pargam, where some residents have expressed a desire for a local candidate to represent them — a demand he described as “justified.”
Ruhullah further revealed that he had never been served a notice or questioned in relation to the case at any point in the past two decades.
ACB CHARGESHEET:
Anti Corruption Bureau produced charge sheet before the Hon’ble Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Srinagar in Case FIR No. 18/2009 under Section 5(1)(d) r/w 5(2) of J&K PC Act Svt. 2006 and Section 120-B,467,468,471 RPC against 22 accused persons including 02 Collectors of LAWDA, 04 other public servants (now retired) and 16 beneficiaries,” a spokesman said in a statement.
The instant case was registered on the basis of outcome of a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) conducted by ACB into the allegation of abuse of official position by the officers/officials of Rukhs and Farms department Kashmir by way of making insertions and tampering with the Revenue records which led to the subsequent drawl of fraudulent payments against the excess State land and shown allotted to Kamas (Tenants) at Rakh-e-Aerth Budgam, reads the statement.
“During JSC conducted into compensation payments made for the rehabilitation of Dal dwellers under Govt. order No. 56-Rev(S) of 2006, it was revealed that the officials of Revenue and Agriculture department conspired with certain beneficiaries (Kamas/tenants) to fraudulently inflate land records to claim excess compensation. These officials abused their positions to show excessive land possession in favour of beneficiaries leading to undue payments and losses to the state exchequer. The officials of Rakhs and Farms in connivance with officials of LAWDA and Revenue Department through tampering/insertions in revenue records and managed to inflate the quantum of land in possession of tenants (Kamas). Through fraudulent mutations, the land in possession was shown as 60 kanals instead of 6 kanals under Khasra No. 1692, 40 kanals instead of 4 kanals under Khasra No. 1666/750 and 07kanal-10 Marlas instead of 2 kanals under Khasra No. 1736,” it added.
Due to the inflated quantity of land the excessive payment to the Kamas/tenants was 38.20 lakhs and in this way, the officials, according to the statement, misused the official position and the losses were incurred against State Exchequer.
“A case FIR No. 18/2009 was accordingly registered under J&K PC Act Svt. 2006 read with 120-B RPC in ACB Srinagar for further investigation,” the spokesman said.
After registration of Case FIR No. 18/2009 in P/S ACB Srinagar Kashmir, the investigation of the case was concluded as Proved and after the accord of Govt. sanction for launching prosecution against the following 22 accused persons including the then 02 Collectors of LAWDA, 04 other public servants and 16 beneficiaries, the challan of the case was produced before the court of Special Anti-Corruption Judge Srinagar on 12.04.2025 for Judicial determination Abdul Majid Akhtar S/O Abdul Ahad Akhtar R/o Saraiballa Srinagar A/P Chanapora Srinagar, the then Patwari Rakhs & Farms (now retired), Zaffar Ahmad Hakak S/O Gh. Ahmad Hakak R/O DokaniSangeenFatehkadal, Srinagar (Now Habib Colony Baghat Barzulla Srinagar), the then Assistant Director Rakhs & Farms Department (now retired), Manzoor Ahmad Rather S/O Gh. Hassan Rather R/O Dehrana Dooru District Anantnag (Senior Circle Inspector) Rakhs and Farms Department (now retired), Ali Mohd Wani S/O Abdul Gani Wani R/O HabbakNaseembagh Hazratbal Srinagar, the then Girdawar Rakhs & Farms Kashmir (now retired), Hafiz-ullah Shah S/O Peer Gh. Mohd Shah R/O Khiagam Pulwama, the then Collector LAWDA (now retired), Mohd Hussain Mir S/O Qasim Ali Mir R/O S.K. Colony Sector 3rdQamarwari Srinagar, the then Collector LAWDA (now retired), Aga Syed Mussa S/O Aga Syed Hussain R/O Budgam, Aga Syed Aqueel S/O Aga Syed Hussain R/O Budgam, Aga Syed Mohsin S/O Aga Syed Mustafa R/O Budgam, Aga Syed Ali S/O Aga Syed Mustafa R/O Budgam, Aga Syed Hassan S/O Aga Syed Mustafa R/O Budgam, Aga Syed Ahmad S/O Aga Syed Mustafa R/O Budgam, Aga Syed Rohullah S/O Aga Syed Mehdi R/O Budgam, Mohd Sadiq Wani S/O Hassan Wani R/O Durbal,Bemina, Mohd Talib Wani S/O Hassan Wani R/O Durbal,Bemina, Ali Mohd Wani S/O Hassan Wani R/O Durbal Bemina, Gh. Hussain Wani S/O Hassan Wani R/O Durbal Bemina, Abdul Rahim Wani S/O Hassan Wani R/O Durbal Bemina, Hyder Ali Wani S/O Hassan Wani R/O Durbal Bemina, Nazir Ahmad Wani S/O Gh. Ahmad R/O Durbal Bemina, Gh. Rasool Wani S/O Gh. Ahmad Wani R/O Durbal Bemina and Ahamadullah Dar S/O Gh. Mohd Dar R/O Kolipora Bemina (expired).
(STC)