Although four persons have been arrested by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir in connection with the infamous fake land mutations scam, a tainted female Tehsildar—one of the three accused still absconding—remains at large.
Shockingly, the absconding Tehsildar is already facing corruption charges in another case.
On Monday, the Crime Branch announced the arrest of four individuals in a major corruption case involving cheating, false land mutations, and fraudulent insertions in official revenue records. The case, registered under FIR No. 14/2025, names seven accused, including two revenue officials, for their alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy that defrauded landowners in Srinagar and Budgam districts.
According to a statement issued by the Crime Branch Kashmir, a thorough investigation based on credible evidence led to the arrest of four out of the seven accused. The case is being investigated under Sections 167, 420, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), read with Section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006.
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, resident of Nowgam, Srinagar;
- Mohammad Shafi Lone alias Shafi Cheeni, son of Abdul Ahad Lone, resident of Peerbagh, Srinagar;
- Shahnawaz Ahmad Rather, son of Noor Mohammad Rather, resident of Padshahi Bagh, Srinagar;
- Shabir Ahmad Wani, son of Mohammad Ismail Wani, resident of Bagandar, Lasjan.
These accused individuals were reportedly part of an organized group that tampered with official land records to facilitate false ownership claims and illegal property transfers. Officials stated that their fraudulent activities caused significant financial losses and distress to innocent individuals—many of whom were unaware their property rights were being manipulated.
Among the three absconding accused is a serving Tehsildar, Nusrat Aziz, daughter of Abdul Aziz Lone, a resident of Gurez currently residing at Mehjoor Nagar, Srinagar. Notably, her bail plea was rejected by the Anti-Corruption Court in Srinagar. She remains on the run and is also implicated in four other FIRs—two registered with the Crime Branch Kashmir and two with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Kashmir.
The two other absconding accused are:
- Ashiq Ali, son of Ghulam Rasool Khan, resident of Panner Jagir, currently living in Hawal, Srinagar, and the then Patwari of Balhama, Srinagar.
- Shamima Akhter, wife of Mohammad Shafi Lone, resident of Gooripora, Rawalpora.
Crime Branch officials confirmed that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused. The investigation is continuing, with authorities determined to dismantle the network and ensure accountability in what is being viewed as one of the most serious recent cases of systemic corruption within the revenue department.
History of the much-publicised case
This high-profile case stems from a land scam involving alleged corruption, cheating, and manipulation of revenue records. It is linked to an FIR registered against seven individuals, including a serving Tehsildar, for their involvement in the fraudulent mutation of prime land.
The case was registered following a written complaint to the Crime Branch. The complainant alleged that she had purchased 5 kanals and 4 marlas of land at Balhama for ₹17 lakh per kanal from one Mohammad Shafi Lone alias Shafi Cheeni, making a total payment of ₹88.4 lakh. Three sale deeds were prepared. Additionally, the complainant gave two kanals of land at Gooripora in exchange, which was later sold by the accused.
The complaint further stated that the sale deeds were temporarily taken back under the pretext of updating the records. However, upon their return, the complainant discovered that the Khasra numbers had been tampered with. The original Khasra numbers—314 and 315—were altered to 290 and 325, and later further changed to 316, 312, and 324 min. One of the numbers, 290, was repeated to create additional confusion.
The complainant claimed she remained in possession of the land until 2 kanals and 10 marlas were forcibly occupied by another individual, Rayaz Ahmad Bhat of Nowgam, Srinagar, who falsely claimed to have purchased the land from a third party, even though the property did not legally belong to them.
Following the complaint, a preliminary inquiry was initiated at the EOW Police Station in Srinagar. The investigation revealed prima facie evidence of deceit and deliberate falsification of survey numbers in the sale deeds—allegedly carried out in connivance with revenue officials.
The probe also uncovered that false mutations were entered into the revenue records by the then Tehsildar of Balhama, Nusrat Aziz, and then Patwari Ashiq Ali, to confer illegal ownership benefits upon Rayaz Ahmad Bhat, who subsequently sold land he did not own.
Full List of Accused in the Case
- Nusrat Aziz, daughter of Abdul Aziz Lone, resident of Gurez (currently residing at Mehjoor Nagar, Srinagar), then Tehsildar, Balhama
- Ashiq Ali, son of Ghulam Rasool Khan, resident of Panner Jagir (currently in Hawal, Srinagar), then Patwari, Balhama
- Rayaz Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, resident of Nowgam, Srinagar
- Mohammad Shafi Lone alias Shafi Cheeni, son of Abdul Ahad Lone, resident of Sector B, Peerbagh, Srinagar
- Shamima Akhter, wife of Mohammad Shafi Lone, resident of Gooripora, Rawalpora
- Shahnawaz Ahmad Rather, son of Noor Mohammad Rather, resident of Padshahi Bagh, Srinagar
- Shabir Ahmad Wani, son of Mohammad Ismail Wani, resident of Bagandar, Lasjan
The case is being investigated under Sections 167, 420, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code, read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006, and is registered as FIR No. 14/2025 at Police Station EOW, Crime Branch Kashmir.
Absconding Tehsildar Also Named in Previous Corruption Case
Importantly, Nusrat Aziz and several co-accused are also involved in an earlier case (FIR No. 08/2021), registered under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B RPC, along with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which is also being investigated by the Crime Branch Kashmir. That case is said to be nearing completion.
"The accused have been operating in an organised manner, causing substantial financial losses and distress to innocent citizens in Srinagar and Budgam," stated the Crime Branch.
