Public Demands Action: Will the Government Finally Rein in Rogue Patwari? Div Com Pledges Action Against Defiant Patwari!
- Suspended Patwari Pranav Dev Singh is defying his attachment order, refusing to attend office at Chowki Chowra and indirectly threatening the media, including Jammu Jottings, to suppress further exposure of his alleged corrupt activities.
- Despite multiple FIRs filed by the ACB related to fraudulent land deals and mutations, and despite being suspended for misconduct with a senior officer, Singh continues to operate with impunity, raising concerns about powerful connections protecting him.
- When contacted by Jammu Jottings, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar promised to direct the Deputy Commissioner to investigate Singh’s defiance and SDM Chowki Chowra confirmed Singh’s absence from the office, raising hopes that some punitive action against the Patwari might actually take place.
- The public is questioning whether the administration will finally take decisive action against Singh, including potential dismissal from service, or if he will be allowed to continue his alleged illegal activities unchecked. The outcome of this case will be a critical test of the government’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law.
Jammu, January 3, 2025: A suspended Patwari, Pranav Dev Singh, continues to flout the law, bully officials, and now, indirectly threaten the media, raising serious concerns about impunity and the influence of powerful connections within the Jammu administration.
Singh, currently attached to Chowki Chowra following his suspension for misbehaving with a senior officer (DIVCOMJMU (ESTT) 18 OF 2024 Dated: 27.07.2024) and subsequently attached vide (order No. DCJ (Adm) 50 of 2024, dated July 31, 2024, issued by the Deputy Commissioner Jammu), has been absent from his designated office, defying orders to attend regularly. He reportedly presented a court order exempting him from attending the office and has not been seen since. This blatant disregard for authority, coupled with his refusal to draw his salary, raises questions about his source of income and the potential backing he enjoys from influential figures.
Singh’s latest tactic involves indirect threats to media outlets, including Jammu Jottings, through known musclemen, demanding that they cease publishing stories exposing his alleged corrupt activities. This attempt to silence the media follows previous attempts to negotiate a compromise.
Jammu Jottings, committed to exposing corruption and upholding the principles of free and fair journalism, refuses to be intimidated. We will continue to investigate and report on Pranav Dev Singh’s alleged wrongdoings, regardless of his threats.
This is not the first time Pranav Dev Singh has been accused of corruption. Multiple FIRs have been registered against him by the ACB, including FIR Nos. 04/2024, 05/2024 (both dated June 13, 2024), 12/2024 (dated September 10, 2024), and 20/2024 (dated August 11, 2024), for his involvement in illegal mutations and fraudulent land deals. His illicit activities allegedly include changing state land into private land, amassing properties in the names of relatives, and accumulating vast wealth through fraudulent means. The ACB has raided his residence twice in connection with these cases. Some of the specific illegal mutations and Intikals linked to Singh include Mutation Nos. 1459 and 1628 in Asarwan village and Intikal No. 4758 in Kangar village, Tehsil Bhalwal.
During earlier postings in Bhalwal and Sidhrah, Singh allegedly operated as both a Patwari and an unauthorized property dealer, further exploiting his position for personal gain. He is accused of amassing properties worth crores in the names of relatives, including state land illegally converted and transferred through fake mutations.
During his tenure in Bhalwal, he executed over 60 mutations and issued 360 Fards for land designated as Gair Mumkin Jhaad (scrubland), illegally changing the classification of numerous such properties. Then-DC Jammu Avny Lavasa subsequently cancelled many of the Intikals (land transfers) he had executed for Gair Mumkin Jhaad land.
A complaint filed against him in 2021 with the Governor’s Grievance Cell, alleging illegal issuance of Fards for Gair Mumkin land, finally yielded a response after three years (Letter No. TBOQ/2024-25/1216-17, dated October 28, 2024). This response revealed that Singh had issued scores of fraudulent fards for Gair Mumkin Jhaad and executed over 30 illegal mutations and Intikals between 2017 and 2019. During this time, he had also misbehaved with a senior officer, which eventually resulted in his current suspension.
When contacted by Jammu Jottings, the Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar promised to instruct the Deputy Commissioner to investigate the matter and take action.
The SDM Chowki Chowra, where Singh is currently attached, confirmed that Singh had appeared at the office once with a court order excusing him from regular attendance and has not returned since.
Singh’s continued defiance, coupled with his threats against the media, raises serious concerns about the Jammu administration’s ability to enforce the law and hold corrupt officials accountable. His apparent ability to operate with impunity, even while under suspension, suggests the influence of powerful connections and raises questions about the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures.
Jammu Jottings remains committed to exposing the truth and will continue to investigate and report on Pranav Dev Singh’s alleged illegal activities, including his manipulation of land records, even during his suspension, his removal of fake mutations from official files, and his potential attempts to reinsert those mutations during the ongoing digitization process. We will soon publish a detailed report with specific evidence, including mutation numbers, dates, and details of fraudulent Fards issued by this Patwari. The public deserves transparency and accountability, and Jammu Jottings will not be deterred by threats or intimidation.
Will this defiant Patwari be dismissed from service or allowed to operate with impunity? The public is watching, and the outcome will speak volumes about governance in this region. It remains to be seen whether the government or the Patwari holds more power.
