Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 29: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Srinagar has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of absconding Tehsildar Bijbhera, Nusrat Aziz, in connection with a high-profile land scam being probed by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch, Srinagar.
On July 28, the Crime Branch arrested four persons linked to the scam, which involves fraudulent land mutations and manipulation of revenue records in Srinagar and Budgam districts. However, Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz—already facing multiple corruption cases—remains on the run along with two other accused.
The case, registered under FIR No. 14/2025, names seven individuals, including two revenue officials, who allegedly operated an organized racket to fraudulently transfer prime land by tampering with Khasra numbers and inserting fake entries into revenue records.
Those arrested so far include Riyaz Ahmad Bhat of Nowgam (Srinagar), Mohammad Shafi Lone alias Shafi Cheeni of Peerbagh, Shahnawaz Ahmad Rather of Padshahi Bagh, and Shabir Ahmad Wani of Bagandar (Lasjan).
The absconding accused are: Nusrat Aziz, then Tehsildar of Balhama (also facing four other FIRs—two with the Crime Branch and two with the Anti-Corruption Bureau), Ashiq Ali, then Patwari of Balhama, and Shamima Akhter, wife of accused Mohammad Shafi Lone.
The case originated from a complaint filed by a Srinagar woman who alleged she was cheated after purchasing over five kanals of land at Balhama in 2012 for ₹88.4 lakh The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Srinagar has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of absconding Tehsildar Bijbhera, Nusrat Aziz
Aziz is wanted in connection with a high-profile land scam being probed by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch
On July 28, the Crime Branch arrested four persons linked to the scam, which involves fraudulent land mutations and manipulation of revenue records in Srinagar and Budgam districts.
Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz—already facing multiple corruption cases—remains on the run along with two other accused.
Investigations revealed that false entries had been made in connivance with revenue officials, including Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz and Patwari Ashiq Ali, to benefit accused Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, who had no legal claim to the land but later sold it forward.
In her bail plea, Nusrat Aziz argued that she had been falsely implicated due to personal vendetta, citing her long service record, health concerns, and an earlier interim bail order. However, Justice Javed Iqbal Wani rejected the plea, observing that the gravity of the allegations and the stage of the investigation did not permit the grant of anticipatory bail.
The court underlined that the probe must proceed “with a free hand” and noted that the evidence on record points to a “well-planned conspiracy” involving manipulation of official documents to benefit private parties.
The accused are alleged to have defrauded multiple landowners, causing significant financial losses and distress to the public. The case is being investigated under Sections 167, 420, and 120-B of the RPC, along with Section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006.
Notably, Nusrat Aziz and other co-accused are also named in an earlier case (FIR No. 08/2021) under similar charges of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy, which is reportedly nearing completion. |
