The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir has arrested a serving Patwari in a high-profile, multi-crore land fraud case in Ganderbal district.
The accused, Khursheed Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Nabi Bhat, a resident of Fatehpora, Ganderbal, was apprehended for his alleged role in the fraudulent sale of land measuring 7 kanals and 2 marlas in Mouza Nuner.
According to officials, Bhat, in active collusion with others, falsely claimed to be the landowner and executed a fake sale agreement for land that actually belonged to a migrant Kashmiri Pandit. The land was held under a Power of Attorney (PoA) by a third party at the time of the fraudulent deal.
The complainant had already paid Rs1.19 crore out of a total Rs2.76 crore agreed upon for the land, before realizing the deception.
Preliminary investigations revealed a criminal conspiracy involving impersonation, forged documents, and misuse of official authority. Based on the findings, a case was registered under Sections 420, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code at the Economic Offences Wing Police Station.
The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests or revelations are expected as authorities probe deeper into the network behind the scam.
