Plot Scam: Ex-JDA Vice Chairman, Officials Accused of Abuse of Power and Land Grab
Former JDA Official, Wife Booked for Encroaching 4,300 Sq Ft Public Land in Trikuta Nagar
JAMMU, SEPTEMBER 26: In a major step forward in a long-pending corruption case, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jammu and Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against Vinod Sharma, former Vice Chairman of the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), and others in connection with the illegal allotment of a prime residential plot and encroachment of adjoining government land in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu. The chargesheet, filed before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, pertains to FIR No. 18/2014 PS VOJ (now ACB), registered under Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006, and Section 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code.
The case stems from a detailed verification conducted by the then Vigilance Organization, now ACB, into allegations of illegal allotment of Plot No. 42, Sector-1A, Trikuta Nagar, to Mamta Sharma, wife of the then Vice Chairman, Vinod Sharma. Investigators also uncovered that she had illegally occupied an additional 4,300 square feet of adjoining land, with the alleged connivance and abuse of power by JDA officials. The chargesheet names Vinod Sharma, Mamta Sharma, Ghany Sham (then Naib Tehsildar, now retired and deceased), and Rishi Kumar (then Patwari, now retired and deceased) as the accused.
According to the ACB, the investigation established that the accused misused their official positions to manipulate the allotment process and facilitate the encroachment of valuable public land for personal benefit. This not only violated established procedures but also resulted in a significant loss to the public exchequer. The findings of the probe, now substantiated in the chargesheet, point to a larger nexus of corruption and misuse of authority within the JDA during the period in question.
The case underscores the ACB’s commitment to pursuing corruption cases even years after the alleged wrongdoing took place. By filing the chargesheet, the agency has reiterated that public officials found abusing their power for personal gain will face legal consequences, regardless of the time that has passed. The Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, has taken cognizance of the chargesheet and fixed December 15, 2025, as the next date of hearing.
