Srinagar: In a significant move that could send shockwaves across Jammu & Kashmir’s political landscape, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Saturday filed a comprehensive chargesheet against 22 individuals, including sitting Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and six of his relatives, in connection with a long-standing land case involving alleged tampering of Revenue records and land compensation in Rakh e Aarith rehabilitation scheme in Budgam district.
The chargesheet has been submitted in FIR No. 18/2009 under relevant sections of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act and the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) before the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Kashmir.
According to official sources, the ACB investigation has revealed a “widespread conspiracy” involving Revenue officers, former officials of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), and private beneficiaries, all allegedly working in concert to “manipulate” land records for illegal gains. The Aga family is accused to have benefited from this collusion through the unauthorized mutation, over compensation and transfer of government or community land into their names.
Apart from MP Ruhullah, the accused list includes two former LAWDA Collectors, four serving or retired government officials, and 16 private individuals, some of whom are reportedly relatives of the MP and beneficiaries of the “manipulated land transfers.”
Officials confirmed that the case pertains to prime land holdings in Budgam district, including Dal dwellers’ rehabilitation scheme at Rakh e Aarith, where Revenue records were allegedly tampered with or overwritten to mask ownership and enable fraudulent acquisition.
Aga Ruhullah, a prominent Shia leader and a vocal voice in both parliamentary debates and Kashmir’s internal discourse, is yet to issue an official response. Known for his independent political positions, especially post-Article 370 abrogation, his inclusion in the scam has surprised many in political and civil society circles.
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