Jammu, Aug 22: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday launched search operations at nine locations, including eight in Jammu and one in Udhampur, in connection with a case of land grabbing and corruption involving Custodian land.
The action has been initiated against Pranav Dev Singh, Patwari; Rahul Kai, Patwari; Akeel Ahmed, Naib Tehsildar, and several others. The case relates to the alleged illegal transfer and grabbing of the Custodian land, which belongs to evacuees from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, during 2022 onwards.
Officials said the searches were conducted at residential and office premises of the accused persons to gather evidence of corruption, illegal property transactions, and possible money laundering.
The ED case is based on an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (Central) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police in Jammu, which had flagged serious irregularities in land dealings involving government officials and private beneficiaries.
Custodian land in Jammu has remained under scrutiny for years, with several complaints of fraudulent mutations, encroachments, and misuse of authority by officials in nexus with private parties. The latest ED action is seen as part of a wider crackdown on corruption linked to state land in the region. [KNT]
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