Govts assurances of Transparency and Good governance shattered as Tehsildar Orchestrates Land Fraud
- Tehsildar Jammu (North), Aman Kumar Anand, is allegedly being complicit in a massive land scam, manipulating land records to fraudulently sell Custodian land despite it being under litigation.
- The Tehsildar’s office attempted to conceal their manipulation of land records by altering a Fard finalized under Mutation No. 1205 (Jeem) to reflect Mutation No. 1204 (Jeem). However, investigation, revealed that Mutation No. 1204 (Jeem) actually belongs to Arun Sharma for Khasra No. 807/800, while Mutation No. 1205 (Jeem) belongs to Showkat, exposing the fraudulent alteration.
- A Fard in March is issued under Mutation No 1304 (Jeem) under Khasra No 856 in March but in June another Fard is issued under Mutation No 1205 (Jeem) and later converted to 1204 (Jeem) under same Khasra No. How is it possible?
- Despite the digitalization of land records and the implementation of barcodes to prevent tampering, the Tehsildar’s office fraudulently altered Mutation No. 1204, as evidenced by a barcode scan that still displays the original Mutation No. 1205 on the NIC Website. This manipulation highlights a blatant disregard for the system and necessitates a high-level inquiry into the motives and urgency behind bypassing the digital portal for revisions.
Mohit Mehra
Jammu, July 26: A shocking land scam has unfolded in Tehsil Jammu (North), exposing a brazen manipulation of land records and the fraudulent sale of Custodian land, despite repeated assurances of transparency and security by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Financial Commissioner Shaleen Kabra. This case, involving the alleged complicity of Tehsildar Jammu (North) and his team, demands immediate investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and swift action to restore public faith in the system.
The scam came to light following Jammu Jottings’ July 5, 2024, exposé titled “Custodian Land Scam in Domana: Fake Mutations, Corrupt Officials, and ACB’s Quest for Justice.” The report revealed that Khasra Nos. 856 and 961 in Raipur-Domana, measuring a total of 41 Kanals and some Marlas, were pending restoration at the office of the Custodian Evacuee Property.
Despite this public revelation and confirmation from the Custodian Officer that the land was under litigation and no Fard (ownership document) could be issued, the Tehsildar Jammu (North), Aman Kumar Anand, allegedly proceeded to facilitate the fraudulent sale of the land.
On July 10, 2024, Jammu Jottings alerted both Tehsildar Anand (10/07/2024 at 12:36 PM) and the Custodian Evacuee Property office (12:14 PM) via WhatsApp messages regarding the ongoing fraud. The Custodian Officer, upon inquiry, confirmed that the case was under investigation and no Fard can be issued, he further said that final decision would come soon and land will be restored to Custodian Department.
Meanwhile another complaint against the concerned Revenue authorities has been filed before ACB and FCR office today. Despite these warnings, Tehsildar Anand and his team allegedly manipulated land records and mutation numbers to issue Fards for the disputed land.
An applicant named Nazir Mohamed, son of Barkat Ali, submitted an application for a Fard (Application No. 12770712202320794884) in March 2024, and a Fard was issued under Mutation No. 1304 (Jeem) for Khasra No. 856 (Min). Astonishingly, the same applicant applied for another Fard in June 2024 (Application No. 12772006202421263154). Although the Fard was finalized under Mutation No. 1205 (Jeem), the Reader at the Sub-Registrar’s office detected discrepancies. The document was then manipulated again by changing the Mutation No. to 1204 (Jeem) even though by then a detailed complaint was already submitted and Tehsildar also being the assistant custodian should not have processed it further after complaint if his intentions were clear.
Our investigation has uncovered another glaring instance of fraud. After digitization, every issued Fard includes a barcode, and manual alterations are impossible. However, when we scanned the barcode for Mutation No. 1204, it displayed Mutation No. 1205 on the NIC Website. This discrepancy exposes a serious fraud committed by the Tehsildar’s office and necessitates a high-level inquiry. The investigation should determine the urgency that prompted these manual changes, bypassing the established procedure of uploading revisions through the digital portal.
Jammu Jottings’ investigation, using the official online portal for Revenue Records, revealed that Mutation No. 1204 (Jeem) belongs to one Arun Sharma and Mutation No. 1205 (Jeem) belongs to one Showkat, contradicting the Tehsil office’s manipulated records. Further inquiries with the Patwari Domana revealed that the original Mutation No. 1204 is associated with Khasra No. 807/800, not the land in question.
This brazen fraud within the Tehsildar Jammu (North) office raises serious concerns about good governance. When officials entrusted with upholding the law manipulate it for personal gain, it leaves ordinary citizens vulnerable and at the mercy of a corrupt system. The possibility of discovering that their land has been fraudulently sold years later, when they attempt to sell or develop it, is a terrifying prospect for innocent landowners.
These findings expose a blatant disregard for the law and a deliberate attempt to deceive the system for personal gain. The digitalization of land records, intended to ensure transparency and prevent fraud, has ironically become a tool for corrupt officials to exploit.
The Tehsildar’s alleged actions, despite being aware of the ongoing investigation and the disputed nature of the land, show a complete disregard for the LG’s assurances and the FCR’s directives. His open claims of being in good books of higher-ups and protected by senior officials raise serious concerns about a culture of impunity within the Revenue Department.
This land scam has shaken public trust in the system, leaving citizens questioning the government’s commitment to fighting corruption and protecting their land rights. The ACB and Crime Branch must conduct a swift and thorough investigation, holding all involved accountable and sending a strong message that such blatant disregard for the law will not be tolerated. The people of Jammu demand justice and an end to this culture of corruption that threatens their land ownership security.
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