₹50 Lakh Land Scam Uncovered: Crime Branch Kashmir Chargesheets Four

Srinagar, Dec 20: Stepping up action against organised land fraud, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet in a ₹50 lakh land scam, naming four accused for allegedly cheating a buyer by selling inaccessible wetland land as prime property in Srinagar.

In a statement, the EOW said the chargesheet has been filed in FIR No. 02/2025 under Sections 420 and 471 read with Section 120-B of the RPC before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar.

The accused have been identified as Mohd Afzal Sheikh of Gopalpora, Chadoora, Budgam; Mohd Sikander Dar of Chainabal Mirgund, Pattan, Baramulla; and Ali Mohd Dar, also of Chainabal Mirgund, Pattan, Baramulla.

According to the investigation, the case originated from a written complaint alleging that in September 2022, the complainant was induced by the accused land brokers and the landowner to purchase four kanals of land at Revenue Estate Ranbirgarh–Pratapgarh, Srinagar.

The complainant was shown revenue records, including Naqsh-e-Amini, along with geo-tagged photographs to establish the ownership and location of the land. Trusting these representations, the complainant paid ₹50 lakh, following which the sale deed was registered and possession was handed over.

However, the complainant later discovered that the land shown on-site did not match the land mentioned in the sale deed. The probe revealed that while the complainant was shown accessible land falling under Survey No. 207, the land actually sold was under Survey No. 94  a wetland parcel without any approach access.

The investigation further established that the accused acted in connivance with one another and forged or misused official documents to execute the fraud.

“The probe conclusively established a well hatched criminal conspiracy,” the statement said, adding that the chargesheet has been filed for judicial adjudication.