Nagbal, Budgam land case: Kashmir’s business, trade bodies seek DC Budgam’s intervention for justice, inquiry into wrongdoing

Srinagar, April 1: A fraudulent land report prepared by a Pathwari in Budgam has triggered fresh demands for accountability and justice from major trade, business and fruit growers’ bodies in Kashmir.

The case relates to Nagbal village in Charar-e-Sharief tehsil, where a Pathwari in 2024 has reportedly  misclassified 7 marlas of private milkiyati land — part of a 3 kanal 13 marla orchard land owned by A. H. Wani — as shamilaat land. As per the available official documents, he also reported that the shed built by Mr Wani on his land belonged to the encroaching party.

Several leading business and trade bodies including Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Federation Chamber of Industries (FCIK), the Kashmir Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, the apex  body of fruit growers’ associations and Mandis in Kashmir, and Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIK) have urged the Deputy Commissioner Budgam to conduct a thorough probe and fix responsibility for the “deliberate misreporting”. They praised the administration and Budgam Police for helping restore status quo on about 70% of the land as per court orders but appealed for immediate action to clear the remaining encroachment on Mr Wani’s land.

Officials said that after the Pathwari was transferred, the Revenue Department reviewed the case and confirmed through official records, including digital Latha maps, that the land indeed falls under Khasra Nos. 171 and 177 and is fully milkiyati. As per official documents, the encroaching party’s claim relates to Khasra 178, which is state land comprising a road and canal — parts of which have been illegally sold by the encroaching party to a family from Srinagar.

A Revenue Department official, while conceding that they have found the previous Pathwari report as full of inaccuracies and misreporting, said that the department is standing by the right of the original owner, and is  professionally handling the matter. Pertinently, the Budgam district court, through order OS/288/2-23 (CNR JKBG020013422023) dated 25/11/2024, has already upheld Wani’s possession over the entire land. The owner maintains complete documentary proof of possession of the entire land since his purchase and registration of the land in 2014.

Mr Wani, who is developing a fruit nursery on the land, continues to face obstruction from the encroaching party, causing immense financial losses to him.

A senior Revenue Department official said the department will not regularise any encroachment on private land, and clarified that while a court decree exists for shamilaat rights, it does not apply to Khasra 171 and 177, which belong entirely to Mr Wani.

The business bodies warned that if such fraudulent practices go unchecked, “it will lead to anarchy in Jammu & Kashmir, where anyone could misuse muscle and money power to grab private land.”