House panel to investigate land grab charges against J&K minister

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council on Tuesday ordered to form a House Committee to investigate the allegations of grabbing of forest land by a state minister Taj Mohiuddin.

“There is a strong prima facie case that demands a thorough and detailed investigation by a committee of the House,” said chairman Amrit Malhotra. Murtaza Khan of PDP has been appointed as the chairman of the committee while Syed Mohammad Rafiq Shah, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy and Bashir Ahmad Magray are its members. Shah had made allegations of land grabbing.

The committee has been asked to submit a report by or before the budget session of the House.

During the recent Assembly session, government said there was no land under an illegal occupation of any sitting minister in the state.

But, Shah had contested the stand and handed over documents to the chairman in support of his allegations that some forest land in Shopian district was illegally occupied by Mohiuddin.

The minister said he would resign if the allegations were proved correct. Malhotra said he “carefully” went through the documents submitted by both sides.

He pointed out discrepancies in a report submitted by Tehsildar, revenue official, of Shopian district.

He even hinted that some of the documents might have been tampered with.