CBI detects PoK land rent scam, bureaucrats under lens

New Delhi: The CBI is investigating officials who have allegedly been taking money from the exchequer on the pretence of paying rent for land located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which they showed through forged documents as being rented by Army personnel, sources said. The identity of the person who owns this land, and whether such a person actually exists, is also being probed by the agency.

CBI sources said lakhs of rupees have been disbursed as rent through the fraud since the year 2000. “As per jamabandhi register for the year 1969-70 of the land in question, khasra No. 3000, 3035, 3041 and 3045 are under the occupation of Maqbooza, Pakistan (PoK), but rents are being paid by the defence estate to the alleged owner,” said CBI sources. The land, measuring 122 Kanals and 18 Marlas, had been shown to be occupied by Army authorities for which rent was paid for the past several years. “The agency is trying to ascertain the identity of the alleged owner of the land, if any. Whether the owner existed or not or his name is just on the paper, will be probed by the CBI and also the end beneficiary of the conspiracy,” sources said.

“Investigation by the CBI has revealed that R.S. Chanderwanshi, the then sub-divisional defence estate officer (Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir), Darshan Kumar, the then Patwari Nowshera, village Khamba, Rajesh Kumar and other unknown persons allegedly entered into criminal conspiracy in 2000. In pursuance of the alleged criminal conspiracy, different land was shown on rent to the Army authorities, which in fact is situated in PoK,” sources said.

As per the set precedence, the board of officers, comprising of one Army officer (estate officer) and representative of revenue department disbursed rentals to the persons on the basis of forged documents, causing wrongful loss to the government exchequer with corresponding wrongful gain to the beneficiaries to the tune of several lakhs, they added. The CBI has registered a case against them. 

In this case, the board of officers, allegedly in criminal conspiracy with each other, wrongly verified that the land was acquired by the Army, whereas the same is situated in PoK, sources said. “The board proceedings were convened in 2000 comprising of one Army officer, including Chanderwanshi and Darshan Kumar, land falling under khasra Nos 3000, 3035, 3041and 3045 was declared to be under the occupation of the defence forces. Accordingly rent was released to the alleged owner,” sources said.