The High Court has directed the J-Ks top anti corruption body State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) to submit a detailed status report,case dairies and objection in the illegal transfer of State land at Gulmarg worth crores of rupees by misusing the provisions of Roshni Act. On March 8,the SVO had registered a case against seven top bureaucrats for misuse of official position for illegal transfer of state land at Gulmarg Kashmirs famous health resort to three influential private parties. The seven officers,SVO said violated the provisions of Roshni Act which was introduced during the previous Congress led J-K coalition to give ownership rights of Government land occupied by farmers across the state. The land transferred to private parties at Gulmarg,however,was earmarked for development of tourist infrastructure under master plan of Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA). The three private parties accused in the case identified as Abdul Hamid Dar of Chandilora Tangmarg,Nazir Ahmed Mir of Baramulla,Manzoor Ahmed Khan of Lal Bazaar filed a petition in the High court challenging the registration of case against them and proceedings against them. The counsel of the three accused persons,Zaffar Ahmed Shah pleaded before the court that the ownership of the land has not been provided to his clients. Nor any entry has been made in the revenue records, he pleaded before the court. The public prosecutor Nissar Hussain Shah argued that a conspiracy was hatched by three beneficiaries (private parties) and government officials to illegally transfer the case. He said that the then Divisional Kashmir had no role in implementation of Roshni act. After hearing the pleas from both the side Justice Hakeem Imtiyaaz Hussain directed the State Vigilance Organisation to submit a statust report,case diaries and objection before 30 March. Before any interim relief is granted in favour accused Vigilance Organisation Kashmir is directed to file case diaries,status report regarding progress of investigation, Justice Imtiyaaz said. The Vigilance Organisation was also directed to file objections. The case will come next on March 30. The Additional Session Judge had already rejected the anticipatory bail application of former Deputy Development Commissioner,Baramulla,Baseer Khan,one of the accused in the case. Khan had filed an application in the Additional Session Judge,seeking anticipatory bail in the Gulmarg land scam case. Khan had in the application said that he apprehended that he may be arrested as a case has been registered by the State Vigilance Organisation (SVO). A case under prevention of corruption Act was slapped by SVO against Mehboob Iqbal,then Divisional Commissioner,Kashmir,Baseer Khan,District Collector,Garib Singh,then Tehsildar,Tangmarg,Farooq Ahmed Lone,then Chief Executive Officer,Gulmarg Development Authority,Farooq Ahmed Shah,then Additional Deputy Commissioner (now retired),Sarmad Hafiz,Joint Director,Tourism Department,Rafi Ahmad,then Assistant Commissioner,Revenue,Baramula and Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Shah,Naib Tehsildar,Kunzar for misuse of official position for illegal transfer of State land at Gulmarg worth crores of rupees by misusing the provisions of Roshni Act.
