Jammu: Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday conducted raids at nine places in Jammu and Kashmir including the residence of former IAS officers Mehboob Iqbal and his brother Aijaz Iqbal in connection with their arbitrarily conferring ownership rights of prime state land in Srinagar to an ineligible applicant at a throwaway price causing huge loss to the state exchequer.
According to a CBI spokesperson, they conducted searches at the premises of two former Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir, a former Srinagar Deputy Commissioner, apart from the then Assistant Commissioner and Tehsildar Nazool (Srinagar), besides private person/beneficiary.
Incriminating documents including conferment of ownership rights, documents pertaining to several immovable properties located at Srinagar, Jammu and New Delhi, besides fixed deposits of more than Rs 25 lakh, approximate cash of Rs 2 lakh, keys of six bank lockers and a number of bank accounts have been unearthed during the searches conducted so far.
Mehboob Iqbal who is, at present with Opposition National Conference, when contacted confirmed CBI searches at his and his brother’s residence in connection with some 13 year old case. Pointing out that he has been in his native Bhaderwah town since last month, he said that his son was present at the house in Jammu at that time.
The CBI had registered a case (Roshni Scam) on the directions of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the spokesperson said, adding that it was alleged that ownership rights of state land measuring around 7 Kanals and 7 Marlas (39,837 sq feet) situated at a prime location in Srinagar, were conferred arbitrarily on an ineligible applicant at a throw away price, thereby causing huge loss to the State exchequer. It was further alleged that the land category was also arbitrarily changed by the then public servants who were members of Price Fixation Committee (PFC).
