Gulmarg land scam: Kashmir HC reserves judgement

The three accused were allegedly involved in the Gulmarg land scam in which state land worth crores of rupees was illegally transferred,misusing the provisions of Roshni Act.

The J-K High Court on Tuesday reserved judgment against the three accused allegedly involved in the Gulmarg land scam in which state land worth crores of rupees was ‘illegally transferred in the world famous tourist spot by senior J-K officials after misusing the provisions of Roshni Act. ‘

The High Court after hearing the arguments,will now decide whether J-Ks largest anti corruption body State Vigilance Organisation Kashmir should continue the investigation against the trio involved in the racket or not. The three accused have been identified as Abdul Hamid Dar of Chandilora Tangmarg,Nazir Ahmed Mir of Baramulla,Manzoor Ahmed Khan of Lal Bazaar and they had filed a petition in the High court challenging the registration of case and proceedings against them.

The SVO had registered a case against three accused and seven top officers including former Divisional Commissioner Kashmir for violating the provisions of Roshni Act which was introduced during the previous Ghulam Nabi Azad led J-K coalition to give ownership rights of Government land occupied by farmers across the state.

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A case under the prevention of corruption Act was slapped by SVO on March 7 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,Baramulla and Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Shah,Naib Tehsildar,Kunzar for misuse of official position for illegal transfer of State land at Gulmarg.

The three private accused are also named in the SVO case.

Both the sides pleaded their point before the High Court judge Hakeem Imtiyaaz. The SVO also submitted a detailed status report and case dairies of the Vigilance investigation into the case so far.

Noted lawyer and counsel of the three accused,Zaffar Ahmed Shah pleaded before the court that the ownership of the land has not been provided to his clients. There is also no entry in the revenue records, he argued before the court and pleaded before the judge that the case against them should be quashed.

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However,the public prosecutor Nissar Hussain Shah argued before the court the trio were equally responsible in the crime.

After hearing the two sides for around two hours,the High Court judge Hakeem Imtiyaaz reserved the judgment in the case.

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