Roshni Scam: 3 IAS, Revenue Officials, on Vigilance Radar
JAMMU; The State Vigilance Organization has lodged a case against three IAS officers, senior officials of J&K revenue department and an influential, Jammu-based businessman in connection with the Roshni Act.
The case (FIR No 6/2014) has been registered against the senior functionaries of revenue department and the beneficiary – a highly influential businessman and liquor baron of Jammu identified as Bansi Lal Gupta, a resident of Gandhi Nagar in Jammu.
The development comes after Gulmarg land scam was unearthed where senior IAS officers are facing prosecution under Prevention of Corruption Act for illegally conferring ownership rights to the land mafia at world famous ski resort Gulmarg.
Sources said a complaint was lodged by prominent social activist Professor SK Bhalla against the liquor baron and senior IAS officer, then posted in Jammu, for conferring ownership rights in respect of land measuring 5 kanal and 2 marlas of khasra number 781 situated at Deeli village (Marble Market) in Jammu.
On receipt of the complaint, State Vigilance Organization initiated verification and found that the beneficiary was not having any khasra gridwari (Revenue extraction) with regard to the said land and as per Roshni Act, this was sufficient for the revenue officers to reject the case of Bansi Lal Gupta.
During verification, it was also found that the government had transferred land measuring 154 kanals and 5 marlas in khasra number 781 way back in 2004 and there was an entry in the name of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in ownership column
“But the Patwari concerned did not mention that the girdawari for the land in question has not been made in the name of the applicant (beneficiary). It was also found during verification that land in question was belonging to JDA and was exempted from the preview of the Roshni scheme,” a source said.
The then district collector for Jammu (vide order number DCJ/HQA/Roshni/08/676-77 dated 9/6/2008) conferred ownership rights of this land in favour of the beneficiary. This order of ownership was passed after the price determination committee headed by then divisional commissioner, Jammu, determined the market value of the said land.
Although the SVO has only indicated that the FIR has been first registered against officers and officials of revenue department in Jammu and officers of JDA but reliable sources said the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey, the then Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Hirdesh Kumar Singh, the then vice-chairperson, JDA, Sarita Chouhan and other revenue officers are in the net of the vigilance.
The investigation of the case has been started and the FIR has been formally registered under section 5 (1) (d) read with section 5 (2) Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, and section 120 B RPC and section 17 of J&K state land (vesting of ownership to the occupants) act 2001 and the investigation has been entrusted to Rajesh Sharma, Inspector, Jammu wing of Police, Station Vigilance Organization, Jammu.
The case (FIR No 6/2014) has been registered against the senior functionaries of revenue department and the beneficiary – a highly influential businessman and liquor baron of Jammu identified as Bansi Lal Gupta, a resident of Gandhi Nagar in Jammu.
The development comes after Gulmarg land scam was unearthed where senior IAS officers are facing prosecution under Prevention of Corruption Act for illegally conferring ownership rights to the land mafia at world famous ski resort Gulmarg.
Sources said a complaint was lodged by prominent social activist Professor SK Bhalla against the liquor baron and senior IAS officer, then posted in Jammu, for conferring ownership rights in respect of land measuring 5 kanal and 2 marlas of khasra number 781 situated at Deeli village (Marble Market) in Jammu.
On receipt of the complaint, State Vigilance Organization initiated verification and found that the beneficiary was not having any khasra gridwari (Revenue extraction) with regard to the said land and as per Roshni Act, this was sufficient for the revenue officers to reject the case of Bansi Lal Gupta.
During verification, it was also found that the government had transferred land measuring 154 kanals and 5 marlas in khasra number 781 way back in 2004 and there was an entry in the name of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in ownership column
“But the Patwari concerned did not mention that the girdawari for the land in question has not been made in the name of the applicant (beneficiary). It was also found during verification that land in question was belonging to JDA and was exempted from the preview of the Roshni scheme,” a source said.
The then district collector for Jammu (vide order number DCJ/HQA/Roshni/08/676-77 dated 9/6/2008) conferred ownership rights of this land in favour of the beneficiary. This order of ownership was passed after the price determination committee headed by then divisional commissioner, Jammu, determined the market value of the said land.
Although the SVO has only indicated that the FIR has been first registered against officers and officials of revenue department in Jammu and officers of JDA but reliable sources said the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey, the then Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Hirdesh Kumar Singh, the then vice-chairperson, JDA, Sarita Chouhan and other revenue officers are in the net of the vigilance.
The investigation of the case has been started and the FIR has been formally registered under section 5 (1) (d) read with section 5 (2) Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, and section 120 B RPC and section 17 of J&K state land (vesting of ownership to the occupants) act 2001 and the investigation has been entrusted to Rajesh Sharma, Inspector, Jammu wing of Police, Station Vigilance Organization, Jammu.
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