| Seized property allegedly sold: SP, 2 DySPs, 1 Inspector of CB among 5 under scanner | | CB SSP orders probe, lodges FIR | | Sumit Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 22: An alleged scam has surfaced in the Crime Branch (CB), a wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police, wherein seized property of an investment company was sold out with the connivance of cops of the premier investigation agency, forcing one of the investors to knock the doors of court to get the accused booked.
Based on the complaint, the court directed CB SSP, Jammu, to conduct an inquiry pertaining to the alleged disposal of property and lodge FIR if the cognizable offence is disclosed.
The alleged accused have been identified as Shafqat Hussain then DySP Crime Branch now SP, Mohammad Ibrahim DySP Crime Branch, Jammu, then SHO of police station, Crime Branch, Javed Ahmed, Inspector, then Investigating Officer (IO) Crime Branch and Bashir Ahmed Manhas, son of Mohammad Aslam Khan of Surankote, Poonch, owner of the investment company.
Accused Bashir Ahmed Manhas, who was once employee in Animal Husbandry, had 7 FIRs to his credit in Crime Branch, Jammu, for duping the investors who invested crores of rupees in his investment companies running in the name and style of Endowment Plantation Limited and Ocean Agro Farm Limited. Earlier, he introduced himself as branch manager of United Endowment India Limited and induced gullible people to deposit their hard earned money in the said company. After amassing wealth, he went underground and accordingly Crime Branch Jammu lodged FIRs against him.
During the course of investigation, the accused appeared before IGP Crime Branch and produced all documents of his assets and liabilities for seizure. They included land at Chandigarh valuing Rs 1.50 Cr, building at Chandigarh valuing Rs 2 Cr, land at UP valuing Rs 2 Cr, 90 kanal land at Sgr valuing Rs 2 Cr,land at bus stand Anantnag valuing Rs 2 Cr, Shoping complex at Chadoora valuing Rs 40 lakh,building at Kangan valuing Rs 30 lakh, shopping complex at Rajouri valuing Rs 70 lakh, building at Budhal valuing Rs 40 lakh,office building at Thanamandi of Rs 7 lakh,Shoping complex at Surankote valuing Rs 2 Cr,plots at Surankote Rs 7 lakh,land at Balori Rs 15 lakh,office building and 2 shops at Poonch valuing Rs 30 lakh, furniture of Rs 50 lakh.
The scam of selling of seized property came to limelight when one of the investors namely Zakir Hussain Shah filed RTI with Tehsildar Surankote where he was informed that the building and shops have been constructed on the piece of land (seized at Surankote) and one Bashir Manhas was taking its rent, besides other seized property has also been misappropriated. Similarly, Tehsildar Jammu in reply to the RTI application informed that the two halls in KC Plaza Complex at Jammu have been shown in possession of Jammu Municipal Corporation in revenue record, but the sale deed showed the complex in the name of one Shamima Akhter wife of accused Bashir Manhas.
In the complaint, the complainant has alleged, "the four cops ranging from SP to Inspector in Crime Branch who were investigating officers of the FIR No 9/2001 and other connected FIRs had seized the properties of the accused and were entrusted with the property, were dominion over the said property in their capacity of public servant committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the property seized/freeze. The cops, allegedly, dishonestly misappropriates and even converts to their own use as also dishonestly disposes of the property in violation of the direction of law prescribing the mode in which the trust is to be discharged".
Based on the complaint, the court forwarded the complaint under Sub Sec (3) of Sec 156 of CrPC to the Incharge Crime Branch,Jammu for proceedings under law.Court also directed Crime Branch Jammu to hold inquiry pertaining to the alleged misappropriation of property and register the case if the cognizable offence is disclosed during preliminary inquiry.
Meanwhile, SSP Crime Branch Mubisser Latifi when contacted said that complying the court's order a probe has been initiated in this connection, adding, whosoever found involved in the scam would be dealt with iron hand. |
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