Srinagar, June 12: A special court here gave the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) four more months to investigate the multi-crore Gulmarg land scam of 2009, of which serving adviser of J&K LG, Baseer Ahmad Khan is an accused.
Special Judge (anti-corruption) of Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts, Naseer Ahmad Dar asked the ACB to file a supplementary chargesheet by October 10, taking into account the additional documents which were presented before the court.
Two charge-sheets have been filed against 20 persons – eight of whom were government officials, including the then divisional commissioner Mehboob Iqbal and then Baramulla deputy commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan.
According to the charge-sheet, the accused officials and 10 other beneficiaries had hatched a criminal conspiracy to provide benefit by having transferred ownership rights in favour of the accused beneficiaries of the state land in Gulmarg in the year 2008. The accused officials allegedly abused their positions and the Lands (vesting of ownership to the occupants) Act 2001 or Roshni Act.
The special court stated that the high court had directed it in its 2018 order to hear the arguments on charge and discharge, taking into account the record produced by the vigilance organisation of Kashmir (then anti-corruption body which was changed into ACB in 2018).
“As observed, the documents and other material, the reference of which has been given by the high court in the said order, are actually not part of the report pending in terms of Section 173 of the CrPC, but in my opinion assumes importance now…,” the special court said.
The court deemed it proper to provide opportunity to the investigating officer/prosecution to examine/ investigate further the said documents and to adduce to what the effect of these materials /documents would be on the involvement of the accused in the alleged commission of offence and come with a fresh report.
